I do love mince pies, but I’m refraining on buying any until the week of Christmas, or maybe the week before!

It always amazes me, the mass rush at the supermarket in the run up to Christmas – people panic buying as if we are going to war! The mass preparation of over-indulgence is underway.

People often become anxious about their weight during this time of year, which is understandable as party season is upon us, how will we cope with all the lush food and drink.

So I thought I’d share a few tips to help keep it real during the Festive Season.

1

Don’t Panic Buy Food

We live in a society whereby if there were a food emergency like forgetting the cranberry sauce it wouldn’t be that difficult to locate a 24/7 convenience store that would be more than happy to oblige. (Be sure to check the expiry date though lol)

Plan and prepare your meals carefully just like you would during the rest of the year. In fact Christmas dinner generally could well be a well-balanced meal Turkey/Fish/Nut toast and loads of vegetables, meat/fish/nut roast and two veg – simple, it’s what I bang on about to clients the rest of the year too.

2

Seasons; Festive Veg

Find out what foods are in season and focus on them, you will be surprised at what you end up with as well as the Brussel sprouts! Others include cabbage, clementine, pomegranate, kale, parsnip, goose, mussels, oysters, pheasant, wild duck, and salmon.

3

Keep active

All the running around for presents, and picking up relatives, visiting relatives does take up a lot of time, so plan your exercise times wisely.

Getting it done first thing ensures you have the rest of the day to plough through your list of a million and one things. With all the happy chemicals floating around your body you will be guaranteed a very successful day! Leaving it to later in the day, let’s face it – this has a tendency to drop off the list of things to do.

4

Short powerful and effective

Keep your workouts short (20-30 mins), with minimal rest time.

If you have access to a gym get yourself in the weights room and lift! Focus on the big compound moves; squat, deadlift, pushing and pulling. Increase the intensity with by challenging yourself with the volume of weight and remember to maintain as perfect form as possible to avoid injury.

No access to a gym? just stick with body weight and increase the intensity with duration of the individual exercises.

Set yourself up a mini circuit of 3 or 5 movements and time each round of activity and rest and complete the workout in 20-25 minutes.

E.g.

• Squat 60s rest 15s

• Plank 60s rest 15s

• Glute bridge 60s rest 15s

• Press up 60s rest 15s

• Lunges 60s rest 15s

5

Enjoy yourself

Don’t forget to treat yourself, whether its mince pies, Christmas pudding whatever your pleasure, enjoy it.

If you are interested in keeping it real after the Festive Season, drop me a line at amrit@amrittandt.co.uk