The festive period is a time associated with excess; most notably on the food front. It’s a time for letting loose a little, enjoying time with family and friends and of course eating some seriously hearty meals! As a result of the ever present chocolates, snacks and other tasty morsels it also tends to have a pretty negative impact on the waistline. This needn’t however be the case; a bit of effort here and moderation there can leave you feeling full, festive and fit...without taking the merriment out of Christmas:

Keep Up Your Existing Exercise Routines

Just because your daily routine may be slightly different at this time of year doesn’t mean you should drop your usual exercise. In fact, if you’re off work then there’s even more opportunity to pop down to the gym or go out for a run. Remember that regular exercise invigorates body and mind, with extra food and alcohol likely to be on the cards, getting your regular dose of exercise in can help to stave off lethargy and fatigue.

Don’t Give In...Too Much

We all need to treat ourselves on occasion and Christmas is the ideal time to do it...everyone else is for a start! The key is not necessarily saying ‘no’ but more so knowing when to say ‘stop’, a chocolate or two is an inevitability, just make sure you don’t get carried away. As with most things, moderation is the key here.

Hit the Veggies

One of the saving graces of Christmas fayre is the consistent presence of vegetables. Yes Christmas dinner may be an unrelenting hulk of a meal but it is laden with sprouts, carrots, parsnips, peas and other fibrous, nutritious titbits. Be sure to help yourself to a hefty portion of vegetables and you’ll feel full, content and less guilty on boxing day. 

Walk it Off

Following the heavy Christmas dinner many families exercise the festive tradition of going for a walk. This is a great idea for all (provided you wrap up warm and wear appropriate footwear), it will not only prevent the post-dinner slump but also invigorate you and help to burn off some of those excess calories- an hour long walk at a leisurely 2 miles an hour pace will typically burn off around 200 calories.

Take it Easy with the Alcohol

Many of us enjoy a tipple at this time of year, it is however vital to once again consider the importance of moderation. Not only is binge drinking harmful in itself but alcohol is also highly calorific. There’s no use in holding off on tasty morsels if you are then going to drink yourself into oblivion- for many reasons. A glass of wine here and there is certainly going to do you no harm, (provided there’s no risk of drink driving as a result) just bear in mind that even these occasional glasses add to your calorific intake.