Navigating social events and a healthy lifestyle during Christmas
Let's face it, Christmas can be a nightmare.
From the festive decorations everywhere to Mariah Carey blasting from every shopfront, we all get caught up in Christmas mania. Our spirits brighten, and we find ourselves ever more social than we usually are, with a Christmas party or a quick mulled wine the go-to rotational activities throughout December.
Yet for those trying to maintain some semblance of physical activity and healthy living, Christmas can be a minefield to be avoided at all costs.
But even a healthy lifestyle needs to fit around your social life, otherwise itβs unsustainable. Social interaction and support have legitimate psychological benefits, and people find social support so crucial for everything, especially when trying to accomplish certain things, such as health and fitness goals.
Making healthier choices while still having a good time with friends and family is entirely achievable: it just takes a bit of planning.
For most people faced with social events, one huge problem is overeating. Unstructured meals such as buffets and dining out make it far too easy to lose track of how much food you've consumed, and while you would never order two roast dinners in a restaurant, most people don't think twice about piling their plate high with second helpings when it comes to Christmas Day dinner.
Typical human behaviour is the mentality to 'save up' calories for a party or an event, rationalising this behaviour as balancing out their total caloric intake for the day. But rather than let your stomach dictate your decisions, showing up to a social event not hungry enables you to be more in control and make smarter food choices.
Similarly, turning the focus from eating to socialising, such as getting involved in more conversations and enjoying the company of your family and friends (rather than the food on the buffet table), will help to manage those cravings.
While there's nothing quite like a mince pie and mulled wine on a cold day, these are filled with sugar and calories, and a high alcohol content causes us to become inebriated quicker, and make bad food decisions.
As delicious as that Old Fashioned or Eggnog might be, alcohol can have various deleterious effects on different systems of the body, such as lowering your body's core temperature, its diuretic effects and increased dehydration, and its situational impact on all your organs and systems, including digestion.
Vodka sodas have become the customary lighter cocktail, as vodka and club soda are carb-free, and there are a myriad of alternatives to the standard, high-power alcohols such as gin, whiskey, and vodka: cognac is a spirit that has half the alcohol content of a whiskey drink, and is a great alternative to the ubiquitous gin and tonic.
Nowadays, alcohol-free beers are nearly indistinguishable from their alcoholic counterparts, and the drinks market is saturated with herbal tonics, botanical blends, and convincing alcohol-free wines, which are the perfect substitute for gin, vodka, and other spirits.
Drinking a glass of water in between each alcoholic drink is a great way to ensure we monitor our alcohol intake and stay hydrated: we've all been guilty of drinking alcohol just for the sake of it, and sipping on a cold glass of water can deter the need to reach for something a little stronger.
When you're working hard to get yourself into shape or striving to reach your desired health goals, it's essential to formulate a strategy to navigate social situations. But remember: you don't have to choose between your diet and social events.
