December can be a fanatic month of socialising. You exhibit this typical behaviour from relishing a wide variety of cuisines to binging on your favourite drinks during holidays. You actually feel a holiday spirit in your body that you cannot resist lapping up.
Holidays are good for human beings, but if you do not take care of your diet, you will likely face the music as soon as the holiday season is over. While your budget seems to collapse amid the soaring energy cost, you would certainly not want to be bombarded with medical bills.
Treating yourself while being on holiday is not a bad idea at all, but just devouring food as you have got a holiday spirit does not make sense at all. It is vital you instead make choices about what you eat than let it happen on auto-pilot mode.
Whether you have been invited over or you are partying at a restaurant, be careful about the quantity of food. Even too much nutritious food can threaten your health. Here are the tips to stay healthy during holidays:
Do not change your eating patterns
When the festive season approaches, you subconsciously change your eating habits, which is unfortunately not good at all. Nutritionists suggest that you eat a filling breakfast. Porridge and oatmeal would be a healthier option, not just for your gut but for keeping you away from snacking throughout the day.
Party meal generally involves food high in sugar and simple carbohydrates. Because they are ultra-processed, you will gain empty calories. They do not make you feel fuller. As a result, you keep eating and eating.
Empty calories mean you will not get any nutritional value from food, but these calories are enough to make you overweight. Therefore, you should start your day with a healthy breakfast. Consider eating something that is rich in fibre.
As it is a cold season, starting your day with a handful of nuts will be a better way to boost your immunity.
1. Avoid binging on drinking
Practise drinking mindfully. It could be difficult for those who are addicted to alcohol but try to reduce the number of drinks they consume every day. The festive season is the best excuse to give the nod to drinking.
As you know, you will not refuse to drink during parties and get-togethers. You should try to cut back on the consumption on other days. If you are habitual of drinking every day, you should reduce the number of drinks.
As a man, you are not supposed to drink more than two drinks, and as a woman, you are not supposed to drink more than one drink every day. Make a rule that you consume alcohol for three to four days. Stick to the rule.
As you have not consumed alcohol for a week, it does not mean that you will binge on it at a party. Stick to the per-day rule consumption. Try to have a meal first before you drink. Since your stomach is full, you will automatically drink moderately.
2. Party fun does not mean being awake at night
Squeezing in some shuteye before a party night is not plausible for everyone. However, if you get a chance to nod off, you should not miss it, especially on a party day. 30-minute sleep during the day is more than enough to keep your body healthy.
If you go to your bed late on a party night, do not worry if your body is craving to snuggle with a warm blanket the next morning. During the festive season, you could be acting like a nocturnal more than usual, but do not let it interfere with your sleep cycle.
Eight-hour sleep is a must for everyone. When you are not partying, you should stick to your sleep schedule. However, scientists say that it depends on your body that you need eight or fewer hours. Instead of emphasising eight-hour sleep, you should focus on getting enough sleep.
3. Stay hydrated and avoid taking on stress
You do not need to go to great lengths to stay hydrated, but water is crucial. You do not feel very thirsty during cold weather, but your body needs water. Make a rule of regularly sipping water. Beverages like milk and juice cannot replace water.
In fact, excess consumption of fruit juice can increase the risk of diabetes. Avoid taking on stress, too, as it makes your body dehydrated. Your body needs more energy to fight against cortisol, which means the supply of more than enough food and water.
There are many scenarios which you may find stressful. For instance, when you have overspent money on the celebration, you have lost your job, and you are already in a tight spot. Instead of dwelling on these bad events, you should think about what you can do to tackle them.
For instance, if you do not have a job and overspent money on a party, decorations, and a holiday trip, you can take out loans for the unemployed with bad credit. However, you should take out these loans only to cover emergencies.
If you are unable to meet your everyday needs through your savings, you should rather live off a lean budget than borrow money.
4. Make time for self-care
Considering the other days of the year you are busy juggling between personal and professional life, having no time for self-care does not come as a surprise. However, you can capitalise on free time during the holiday to pamper yourself.
No holiday is complete without basking in the warmth of the sun. This is the perfect time to absorb some vitamin D. Put on some sunscreen to wear on your body to avoid tan. When you are home, you should spend some time doing what makes you pleased.
If you love cooking, just treat yourself to amazing and delicious recipes. If you have been longing to learn some kind of art like dance and music, just learn it. Pursuing your hobbies will release endorphins in your brain, a chemical that makes you feel happy.
It also helps keep stress at bay. Mental health is also essential, and when you are on holiday, you can utilise this time to take care of yourself.
The final word
The holiday season is not far, and this is when you can slip up. In the excitement of the festive spirit, you can start binging on food and drinks without realising that it can take a toll on your health. Enjoy the festive season cheerfully but do not forget you need a healthy body to lead your life next year.
Eat whatever you want at parties but make sure you do not consume too much food that is a bit notorious for harming health. Start your day with a nutritious meal and try to stick to a routine you have been following until the celebration begins.
Stay hydrated, avoid taking on stress, and utilise some time for self-care. A holiday week does not mean just eating, sleeping and wandering. Mental health is equally crucial.
