A – Z of Christmas

Here’s our healthy A – Z of Christmas…….

A is for ALLIES

What would you do when a close friend is in difficulty? You offer support, boost her confidence and help her sort herself out. Do the same for yourself – be your own best friend. Imagine what you would say to encourage a friend

B is for BEAT

Beat the temptation to overeat. Make a list of reasons why you want to achieve your goal weight. Put it somewhere to remind you what it is all about – your underwear drawer, the fridge, the biscuit tin

C is for CHOICE

Over Christmas we often eat for all the wrong reasons. Don’t forget – what you eat and drink is your choice. Try not to eat just because it is there, remember if you do you will wear it in January

D is for DANCING

Great exercise and lots of fun, the more you move – the more you lose

E is for EXERCISE

Why not pop your activity monitor on and take a walk – use the extra time you have over Christmas to walk to the places you normally drive

F is for FEELINGS

Many of us worry that Christmas will be our undoing. Instead of dreading Christmas use it to give yourself an incentive to keep on track in the New Year. Treat yourself to some sexy lingerie or some high heels to show off your slimmer legs. Knowing you are losing weight and looking good will make you feel positive – the best Christmas gift ever

G is for GUESTS

Stock up on nibbles but why not try some lower caloried ones so you can enjoy yourself, but keep the tempting goodies out of the way once they have gone

H is for HEALTH

Make your Christmas and New Year a healthy and happy one. There’s a fabulous selection of fruit and vegetables at this time of year, so there is no excuse no forget your 5 A DAY

I is for IMAGINE

Think about where you will be this time next year if you stay in control, how you will feel, what you will be wearing

J is for JOY

Make sure you enjoy the build up to Christmas. Don’t get bogged down with all the preparation – delegate. With a little help you will enjoy the lead up to the festivities without getting over stressed and comfort eating

K is for KNOWLEDGE

You know how much food your family usually eat, so make a shopping list and stick to it – remember you are not shopping for a siege

L is for LIST

List all the food/treats that you’d like to have over Christmas. Make a shopping List and only buy what you need (and not what you fancy when you see it in the shop). If you really struggle with this why not try doing your food shopping online, then you won’t be tempted. If you plan ahead – you can have your cake and eat it

M is for MUNCHIES

When the munchies strikes don’t just dip into the snacks without thinking. Put what you want in a dish then you will know what you are eating and won’t be tempted to nibble nonstop.

N is for NOTE

Be sure to fill in your food diary to keep an eye on your eating. Keeping track will help you stay motivated and focused on your goals

O is for ON-LINE

If you need inspiration or motivation over the festive season or at any time then why not visit our blogs for ideas, recipes and fabulous features

P is for PLAN

Planning can be a challenge at this time of year but looking ahead will enable you to cope with whatever Christmas brings

Q is for QUESTION

Ask yourself what caused your problems during past Christmases. Is it overeating at parties or vegging out in front of the TV? Whatever the problem – find a solution

R is for REMEMBER

Remember why you decided to lose weight and try to rediscover the determination you first had to shift those pounds

S is for SWAP

Consider which foods will suit you best over Christmas. Remember it’s really compromise, a bit more vegetables and a bit less stodge!

T is for TRIED

Which weeks were your most successful and why. Learn what helped you and try it again

U is for USEFUL

When you are heading out to eat – it’s useful to get an idea of the calorie values by looking online. That way you will stay in control and make wiser food choices

V is for VARIETY

Important to have plenty of variety and balance in your meals every day. If you are enjoying your food you are more likely to make healthier choices!

W is for WISE

Choose your alcohol wisely, know which will give you the better calorie value. – try not to overindulge at the buffet table. Don’t buy the family sized tin of biscuits/chocolate just in case. Think about who you are buying for and who will really eat it

X is for XTRA

Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up by eating or drinking more than you intended – it happens. Forgive yourself and move on don’t carry on beating yourself up just get back on track

Y is for YOURSELF

Make sure you allow yourself some ‘me’ time – think about what you want to do, not what you ought to do. Don’t feel guilty about putting your own needs first. Don’t feel bad about saying ‘no’

Z is for ZEST

Choose foods to keep you full, in control, bright and colourful and focused for a Happy, Healthy and Lighter Christmas!

Wishing Everyone
A Happy and Healthy Christmas

jackie and sonya