READY…Surviving the silly season

It’s not fair, you set out on a plan to get yourself in shape and keep on track pretty well then…

The silly season, with weeks of temptations put in front of us at every turn and social events that keep us away from the gym and our well laid exercise plans.
So instead of being able to focus on looking and feeling great we drink, eat roast dinners, chocolates, pavlova and Christmas mince pies…

How’s a girl supposed to stay on track with all that going on?

The simplest solution seems to be cancel Christmas but that’d be no fun!

So let’s stay in the real world with Plan B:  DAMAGE CONTROL CENTRAL!

SET………
It’s not about fast tracking to awesome results at this time of the year, it’s more about reducing the damage so it’s not such a long haul back in the New Year.
You’ve got a number of options; it’s not all or nothing.
You know you better than anyone else.
There are areas you’ll find easy to manage and others that you’ll struggle, that’s life!
Pick your battles and don’t punish yourself for not being perfect.

GO……….
Here are a few tricks you can use during the silly season:

The old water between wine trick. This is easy earlier in the evening but requires a bit more discipline as the night wears on.
Eliminate the ‘easy’ drink. Bubbles and cocktails slip down fast and before you know it…  Try drinking something that you enjoy but have a lower tolerance for drinking fast.

Skip the high calorie mixers and the premixes, a whole lot of extra calories and no more fun. Use low calorie mixers liberally though, they add to your fluid intake which will reduce your hangover.

Eat something before you go so you aren’t so hungry while you are waiting for dinner and end up consuming 2 days energy in pre dinner snacks.

Don’t set yourself up next to the snacks, in fact set yourself up as far away from the food as possible

If you have someone wandering around with plates, say no twice before you say yes once!

Chat up the waiter or waitress with the healthy snacks and get him/her to keep coming back.

HYDRATE! HYDRATE! Many of the alcohol related problems are due to dehydration; I don’t care how you do it but get the water going in, both throughout the evening then all the following day.

Be a great guest but a lazy host. If you are eating at someone else’s house, offer to help tidy after the meal rather than staying at the table picking over the remains. If the dinner is at your place- ditch the leftovers in the kitchen and head back to the guests, you’ll avoid picking as you tidy.

Julz’ Secret of success:
It’s not just what you do but that you keep doing it.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the last few months of articles and tips, Merry Christmas – I’ll be back in the New Year.

If you need some extra motivation then head over to www.julzdarroch.co.nz for some exercises you can do at home (or at the gym).

- Julz Darroch

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