I have to say, having been in the health and fitness industry now for over a decade I am amazed at how individuals can work so hard, be so focused, and then throw it all out the window at the drop of a hat.
“Oh well I have had one drink I may as well have 10” or “I ate that silly pastry…that’s it my diet ruined, I may as well just keep going now” or “It’s all the venue had, I had no choice, I had to eat and drink it” Sound familiar?
One of my favourite sayings “Don’t let a bad day turn into a bad week turn into a bad month, bad year, bad life” You get it, we can be our own worst enemies when it comes to staying in shape. I want to teach you today how to stay in control without being anti-social with a few simple festive season tricks.
People often ask me “You stay in shape all year round does that mean you don’t drink or indulge?” Of course I do! Ask any of my buddies, I can keep up with the best of them; but, what I do have is a plan of attack during these times so I can have my cake (or in this case alcoholic beverage) and drink it too.
I have 3 easy tips you can implement this festive season to make sure you avoid holiday season weight gain.
LOAD UP ON NATURAL SUPPLEMENTATION BEFORE YOU START & WHEN YOU STOP
This is a really effective way of getting the liver ready to party. Think of it as dressing your liver up and supporting it whilst you indulge then helping it purge or quickly rid the toxicity after.
– Take up to 2gms of milk thistle before your festivities than 2gms after before you retire. This is quite a heavy duty way to cleanse the liver and help alleviate the dreaded hangover the day after. Check the dosage per capsule (1000mg = 1gm)
– Increase your electrolytes before and after. I recommend a potassium supplement or taking electrolyte salts in their purest form (not the high sugar sports drinks you get) this will keep the body from getting depleted. When we deplete our body salts we tend to crave high energy sugary foods so we want to avoid this as much as possible. Again take 1-2tbsp pre and 1-2tbsp post.
– Increase your antioxidant intake with a super greens drink before and after along with a multi-vitamin rich in B-vitamins. Again these will help the toxic load on the liver and help repair the damage from too much indulging.
A healthy liver and hydrated body is the key in keeping the metabolic rate at its optimum. A sluggish liver can hold up the fat loss process as well as a whole other host of issues. What you will find is drinking water cannot replace lost electrolytes like potassium and sodium so we need to replace these to keep the body in peak condition mentally and physically.
CHOOSE YOUR POISON WISELY
The first thing to decide is what you are going to drink. This is fundamental to maintaining your physique during Christmas Party season.
– Stick to clear spirits like Vodka or Gin.
– Dry White Wine, Champagne and Red Wine are the next best choice.
– Mix your drinks with still water, soda or sparkling mineral water to help avoid sugary mixers and keep you from quick intoxication.
– Avoid drinks high in sugar like beer, cider, liqueur or cocktails. These will stack on body fat around the waistline like there is no tomorrow. Choosing your poison wisely is the first step to festive season success.
THE FOOD YOU EAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN USUAL
You will be happy to know that the alcohol itself isn’t fattening, however, as it is a toxin the liver will choose to process the alcohol first before the food you eat with it. With this in mind if you are eating bad food like trans fats and carb loaded beverages the day after or the day of your alcohol indulgence then you are more likely to store that energy as fat.
– Your protein is important before you start to drink. Have a full 150gms to 200gms raw weight so chicken, seafood, beef, turkey etc. or for the non-meat eaters 3 whole eggs will be suffice. This will keep you full for longer and help you avoid too many canapés or rich finger food.
– Stick with your plant based veggies and low glycemic index carbohydrates. Starches like sweet potato, quinoa and green veggies will help you stay satisfied and avoid the wrong choices.
– Watch your overall calorie intake. Again eat before you start to avoid overeating whilst you’re drinking. We have all heard of the “grog munchies?” well if you want to avoid this like the plague, have a good solid meal BEFORE the party begins.
We want to enjoy socialising without the guilt right? I suggest you start implementing the above and you can start calling yourself a savvy socialiser with your colleagues and friends asking “what’s your secret?”
The tradeoff is, you will not only look better, but feel better. Your festivities won’t affect your work, your energy or your waistline. Can I get a “cheers” to that!
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