Six Tricks To Cut The Christmas Calories

Doesn’t it feel like Scrooge writes all the health stories at Christmas? There’s a lot of doom and gloom around about the festive feast… some say you’ll tot up seven-thousand calories on the 25th. And, though that seems a bit extreme, what’s wrong with some indulgence?

We’re all about enjoying fresh, delicious food at Bodychef – losing weight and feeling great! So let us be the first to say it: eat your heart out on the day! The good news is that, with a few small tweaks, you can even save your waistline in the process!

Breakfast

Lots of people start the day trying to make room for the Christmas meal. But skipping breakfast only makes us hungry and, with so much chocolate going ‘round, why add to its temptation?

Instead, try starting out with something that’ll actually fill you up! Whether you go yogurty, eggy or you go for a good old-fashioned bowl of porridge, a decent protein meal will keep you feeling full for longer and turn your chocolates back into a treat – not substitute breakfast!

Drink Up

A key reason people over-eat is plain old thirst. And Christmas day is no exception!

Whether yours is a Champaign start of a dry day, keep a glass of water with you when you can; or maybe swig a mug of herbal tea instead, or some diluted juice (between glasses of wine, if need be). Staying hydrated will keep away your urge to over-snack on nuts, chocolate and all those other goodies!

Snack Clever

If you know you’ve got a soft spot for a chocolate orange, try a real one first. The day’s about indulgence, so don’t deny yourself. But keep an eye open: a treat should be a treat, not something you go for because you’re hungry.

A good breakfast and plenty of fruit should both keep your resolve firm; letting you have one mince pie without needing to go back for another… and another!

Top tip: Grab yourself a yogurt early. Protein stops the stomach from emptying too fast and even delays the effect of that fist glass of wine!

Help Yourself

Ever picked your way through the second half of Christmas dinner even though you’re full? Maybe it’s the competition (there’s always that one dish everybody’s eyeing up), or that it all looks so good, but everybody plates up more than they can handle.

Why not make a point to under-fill your plate and take a second helping when you’re done? Or Third? Fourth? Either way, you give yourself the chance to stop when you want to.

Tip: Make sure salad or boiled veg takes up a good chunk of your plate; that way you’ll have to pick less meat or roasties. You can always have a second helping, but you might find that you don’t need to.

Alcohol

It’s always tempting stockpile calories on a day that’s going to be… heavy. But skipping meals shouldn’t be an option! Boozy calories won’t tot up like the calories you save as they’ll not give you any of the essential nutrients you’ll need later to help detoxify your blood. Instead, keep hydrated and get plenty of veg during the meal and fruit during the morning for a far easier Boxing Day!

Tip: Lighter coloured drinks tend to be lower in the chemical by-products that worsen a hangover… good news if you’re into fizz!

Boxing Day

Lots of people start a punishing regime on Boxing Day. It’s another place we tend to try to skip a meal or two. But the best advice is always to start the day with a filling, sensible breakfast – try a veggie omelet or a bowl of porridge. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day… and if that day follows a big night it’s especially true.

Starting over with something healthy is always going to feel better than waiting to starting over at all! It’s the balance of your diet that’s important, so if you can’t face a big breakfast straight away, what about a fresh smoothie with plenty of potassium? Go for the bananas!