It is the most wonderful time of the year once again. Christmas, indeed, is the most festive season, not to mention, also the best season for indulgence. Of course, that includes all things but, most especially food — the fattiest, most sinful kinds. Unfortunately, it could also be the most stressful season that some people, perhaps including yourself, have stopped looking forward to the Holidays.
Where Did All The Extra Pounds Come From?
It’s the question you end up asking yourself at the start of the New Year, that is, just about when you find yourself bloated and unable to fit into your clothes, even the ones you just shopped for during the Christmas rush. Here’s why the Holidays are so not good for your body:
1. The traditional Holiday foods are too fatty and too sugary. Who can ever resist the smell of cinnamon on oven-baked bread? American pie anyone? All that ham and cheese and salami and salted chips that came with your bubblies are a major culprit too.
2. The snow is stopping you from working out. This particularly is true if you love outdoor workouts, including lap running around your neighborhood. At a time when you eat more and workout less, you know what naturally happens next.
3. The weather is too cold and gloomy. Your natural reaction? Stay under the covers all day and night when you can. It’s not very healthy indeed.
5 Ways To Celebrate Smart This Christmas
1. Exercise.
Stop blaming the weather, the snow, and everything else but yourself for missing your workouts. If you can’t exercise outdoors, make sure you find other things to burn off those fats or, those will end up getting deposited in your belly or under your thighs — and you don’t want that! Though you can do cellulite removal exercise to avoid those.
Clean the cupboards and scrub the floors. Join in the Christmas rush and do your shopping or, just window shop. Did you know that walking leisurely at the mall covering about a mile of floor space will have you burn 100 calories per hour? It might also be a good time to join an indoor gym or workout class like Zumba or Capoeira.
2. Shop wisely.
When going food shopping, always choose the local farmers’ market over the nearest supermarket. There, you can get your food fresh and raw. If you’re lucky, you might even meet a supplier of organic fruits and veggies. If you don’t have a choice but the supermarket, always follow these tips:
Don’t do your grocery shopping when you’re starving. Have a snack and a coffee or, a full meal if you want to, before walking into the supermarket. Studies have shown that doing your shopping when you’re hungry makes you more likely to crave and pick up high calorie and fatty foods.
Start with the fresh section first. Most people would usually do their shopping the other way around to keep the meat from thawing, the veggies and fruits from drying out. However, there is a higher tendency. However, spending more time at the fresh section will help you make the right choices about what food you should be eating.
3. Cook smart.
Not all dishes are created equal — in calories, that is. Plan out your meals and consider the calories that goes into each one. A good example is pork ribs. Boiled pork ribs contains 70 calories (no sauce) while deep fried ribs contains 949 calories! In general, choose steaming over frying and boiling over baking.
4. Be brainy when you celebrate.
Beer, red wine, white wine, champagne, and pure distilled drinks like vodka and gin are among the alcoholic drinks with the least amount of calories per standard glass or bottle. Hors d’oeuvres and other finger foods that come with your alcohol. 2 pieces of buffalo wings has 130 calories while salted potato chips has 542 calories per serving.
5. Keep your cool.
It can be too easy to lose your patience when everything has to be perfect and spotless, prim and proper. Learn to relax and just turn a blind eye on that dusty shelf if that takes you several steps away from giving yourself a heart attack. Don’t be a crowd pleaser and know that if you need help, your loved ones will be more than happy to help out.
Planning ahead of time will help you alleviate much of that stress you feel around the Holidays. Of course you got caught in the Christmas rush to get special things for the special people in your life. But, you survive that chaos every year so you will again, this year. If it’s preparing meals that’s taking up your time and energy then, by all means, just order food or even pizza for your guests. It’s your company that they’re really looking forward to enjoy, not the sumptuous meal on your table.
Conclusion
Christmas is everybody’s most awaited season, and it should be yours too. Make way for another memorable Holidays even as you stay fit, well, and with a cool head. After all, you’ll have more reason to celebrate when your healthy, happy, and merry.
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