How to keep FIT & ENJOY the festive season

Festive season is just around the corner, these are the times we all wait for, to gather with our family, friends and loved ones to celebrate joyfully. Of course, these gatherings mostly involve a variety of delicious food, which might be an issue if one is trying to control their intake for whatever reason, be it weight management, body composition change or general health concerns.

Here are some tips on how to keep fit while enjoying this season:

1. Plan your workouts wisely. It is important to plan your day ahead so you would be able to fit in your workout and plan it well. So, if your short on time, you can plan an intense short session and on other days where you have more time, you can have less intensity longer sessions. You can also choose to prioritise your workouts based on your routine scheduled exercises.
2. Engage in group activities. When gathering with your loved ones, choose activities that involve different movements. Whether it is dancing, playing a game, walking, cooking, or doing the dishes; choose fun ways to move together.
3. Eat consciously and mindfully. There will be a lot of temptations to indulge in; but neither starvation nor deprivation is the key but rather moderation is. You can have little from everything keeping in mind the importance of portion control and the quality of food. Hence try to consume balanced meals rich in protein, complex carbs, good fats and fiber.
4. Listen to your body. Our body talks to us via cues which we should listen and respond to. While eating we should do so slowly allowing our bodies and brains to acknowledge when it’s time to stop eating. Stop before feeling full so you do not overload your system with food. Other cues to take into consideration are hungry cues like stomach growling, headache, low energy, problems focusing.
5. Limit snacking. As you might have a lot of outings and house visits; it’s important to limit snacking and try to choose low calorie healthy options rather than fast sugars and high calories snacks. It’s okay to say no and it’s important to know when to stop.
6. Drink water. During these times you might be offered a lot of drinks like juices, liquors, and alcohol. But it is important to prioritize water above all other drinks. Also mind the calories coming from your drinks; juices and alcohol are usually high in calories.
7. Sleep well. Your body and mind need rest; aim to sleep around 7 hours a night. Not having enough rest and sleep has many negative impacts, it causes emotional and hormonal imbalances which might lead to over or under-eating.

At last, it is important not to obsess or over-do the above as the festive season is just short and temporary; instead enjoy and celebrate the holidays with your loved ones! After it’s all done, you can go back to your healthy eating and exercising routine.