The Christmas Survival Guide (For Your Health)

It’s almost Christmas and according to some popular tunes: “It’s the best time of the year!” No one doubts about this however from our standpoint there’s one thing you should be careful with and that is your health! (No surprise since that’s what we’re passionate about here @TheIronYou).
The fact is that besides presents, what Christmas really comes down to is EATING and DRINKING and let’s face it: too much of it!
Christmas parties, Christmas dinners and Christmas lunches all filled with delicious (high-caloric) food and flowing with drinks. But after of all this bonanza what are you left with? Let me tell you: with few extra pounds on your belly, waist and tights (depending on where you store it!)
According to some recent studies The average person gains 5lb (2kg) over Christmas. Some of this extra weight - 1 lb to 4 lb - will be water and glycogen (stored carbohydrate); the remainder will be fat.
So here are our two cents on how to make it through Christmas without becoming a big tub of lard!

Our Christmas survival guide

• Don't skip breakfast or lunch or else you will feel hungrier later on and more tempted to overeat.
  Have something light but filling. For breakfast you can choose the like of oatmeal with fresh fruit and a yogurt. At lunch a small salad or a soup would do the trick.
• Push away from the buffet table (if there’s one) or the kitchen as much as you can (unless you’re helping with cooking).

• Don’t compensate for overeating by starving yourself before or afterwards. Why? Because you will only upset your normal appetite cues and this can lead to a vicious circle of crash dieting and overeating or binging which might prove to break.
  If you over-indulge, live with it, do not feel guilty afterwards.
• Try not to let food become the focus of your holiday think about other positives and try to focus other activities which don’t involve food; such as spending quality time with your family.
• Have what you really want. When you're faced with wall-to-wall goodies, don't feel that you have to get your nutrition before you indulge. You'll only end up with more calories than your body needs.
• Take small servings. If you really like the three layers chocolate cake you can have a small serving, chew it thoroughly and enjoy. Stuffing your mouth with it will not make you enjoy it more!
• If there are several foods to choose from try to focus on the low calorie ones: as always veggies should be at the top of your list.
• Keep busy: the more you do the less time you'll have to sit around eating, so get busy around the house.
• Be mindful: We put so much in our mouths without thinking about it, without even noticing it or enjoying it. Awareness is half the battle, just notice how much you eat and you’ll be half way there.
• Avoid high fat nibbles and snacks as they are often loaded with fat and salt. Here’s a list of the worst ones:
• Crisps, potato chips and corn snacks
• Salted peanuts
• Sausage rolls
• Vol-au-vents
• Cheese Straws
• Cocktail sausages
• Go for a family walk after lunch/dinner as sitting around lends itself to further nibbling.

But Most of all: HAVE A GOOD TIME!!!

Merry Christmas from everybody here at TheIronYou