So the Christmas songs have made it to the radio, mulled wine is seemingly on tap and mince pies are at the ready! Yes that’s right, it’s December 1st and the countdown to Christmas has begun.
It is definitely the season of over indulgence! Every trip to the shops you are faced with over whelming temptation of offer after offer on everything you shouldn’t be eating and drinking. However, you don’t have to succumb to every temptation and here are a few tips to help keep that Christmas podge at bay.
*Try not to buffet*
The issue of eating buffet style food is that appetite takes over even after hunger is suppressed. Myself and Matty were victim to this the other day whilst faced with our cheat meal. We had both consumed far too much at 5 Guys (highly over rated in my opinion, and a waste of a cheat) and we had tonnes of chips left. We were sat there chatting and just kept nibbling at the remaining chips. This was not because we were still hungry, in fact it was far from it. We were still eating because the chips tasted nice and our appetite overpowered our lack of hunger, leading to over eating. It has been shown time and time again that if you are faced with highly palatable foods you will eat past the point of being comfortably fun.
Try serving the food you feel you can face and put the rest away. This will prevent over eating and keep that calorie surplus as low as possible.
*Don’t Shop Hungry*
We have all done it: Been shopping on an empty stomach and all you want to do it buy the most palatable foods. Crisps, breads, chocolates and all the other “good” stuff will somehow make it into your basket, your kitchen cupboard and then inevitably your stomach. Have a meal high in fats and proteins (the most satiating macronutrients) before you enter the shops to suppress those dreaded hunger pangs.
*Plenty of Veg*
With your meals trying consuming high quantities of veg. This way the volume of your food intake will be high but with less calories. Filling your stomach will nutritious, voluminous food will also make you less inclined to eat the whole Christmas pudding rather than just a slice.
*Earn your food*
It is Christmas, and we are all human. I know I will be having a fair few mince pies and the occasional sherry, but I will make sure I have earnt them. You will most likely be over consuming calories, but make sure you match your increased energy intake with a higher energy output. Get yourself in the gym, train your arse off and work for that food. Try increase your training intensity, less rest between sets, higher working volume and a couple of extra cardio sessions a week will prevent you causing too much damage with all the excess food.
*Everything in moderation*
I don’t have to tell you that sitting and eating a whole tub of celebrations isn’t going to do any favours for your physique goals. That doesn’t mean you have to avoid every bit of “bad” food as you don’t want to be the one at every Christmas party eating chicken and rice out of a Tupperware box. Enjoy your food and eat what you like, but just be smart. Make the right food choices 80% of the time and have that 20% for the foods you love. At the end of the day you are the one in control and you will only have yourself to blame if everything goes pear shaped. Take responsibility for your actions and don’t undo all the hard work you have put in the rest of the year.
Have a great Christmas but let’s not get lazy !
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