Listen to this week’s episode of the Eternal Health Podcast with Laura:
The holiday period – Christmas, Easter, vacations etc – are usually a time for indulgence, weight gain, guilt and then healthy resolutions. Wouldn’t it be better to avoid that whole cycle and put in place some helpful things that will enable you to stay healthy? Here are my 4 key healthy holiday eating tips and other ways to stay healthy, whilst still enjoying the festivities.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- What your ‘money foods’ are and why they help you to not over-indulge
- The simple way to reinstate your eating willpower and relieve holiday stress
- A free resource to help you reset your health for 2018.
As I type, Christmas is fast approaching and for many of us that means unresistant submission to putting on a few pounds and starting afresh in the new year.
After many years of anticipating all the naughty foods I could eat, splurging, feeling guilty, feeling rubbish (fat, tired, fuzzy) and then getting ‘that cold that everyone gets’ just after Christmas, a few years ago I decided to do things a little different and now I enjoy my holiday food and festivities much, much more.
So let me share my insights with you and give you a freebie that will help you…
Tip# 1: Eat what you want but focus on your ‘money foods’
Yep, I said it – no restriction on the types of foods; have the foods (and drinks) that you want to. But eat enough so that you enjoy it and stop BEFORE that tantalising taste becomes monotonous and no longer satisfying. You may want to consider that some foods have very addictive powers, which makes it much harder to show any kind of restraint (think ‘once you pop you can’t stop’!) – so my advice would be to choose your ‘money foods’ – the ones you really, really enjoy and pass on the foods you are just tempted to eat ‘because they’re there’.
Tip# 2: Go for a walk
Instead of allowing yourself to melt into the sofa during your relaxation time over the Christmas period, do go out for regular walks – 2 half hour strolls a day would be great if you can manage it, but one half an hour walk is fine. This not only helps to shift your body, revs your metabolism and burns the calories (150 per 30 mins) but it also gives you some much-needed fresh air and Vitamin D after being indoors in the stale air of cooking and central heating (or log fires, if you’re lucky!)
Taking a walk also allows you to clear your head, release any pent up stress (yes being with family and friends is great but can be a little trying at times, or is it just me?!). Walking also resets your hunger mechanism and boosts your willpower.
Tip# 3: Have a green smoothie
Now, the ‘quid pro quo’ on eating what you want (in Tip #1) is that you have a daily (or near daily) green smoothie over the holiday period. This means that whatever else happens and however many brandy snaps, mince pies, chocolate truffles and glasses of wine are consumed, your body will still be getting a hit of fresh, raw, alkaline, nutrient-dense fruits and green vegetables to help mitigate the damage.
If you’re wondering about how to make an easy green smoothie, or could do with some new green smoothie ideas, you’re in luck!
Your Freebie
I have put together an awesome new freebie for you – ‘How to Make Perfect Green Smoothie Cheatsheet’ which you can download here (no optin required).
It has the simple 5 steps and 5 key ingredient types that make up the perfectly balanced, nutrient and antioxidant-rich green smoothie. There are lots of ingredients and combinations that you can choose from – so your smoothies can be completely unique to you and your taste.
Links & resources mentioned:
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Thanks for listening!
Catch you next time on Eternal Health,
Laura