YOU'VE been
good all year.
Ate
'clean', stayed on-track with your diet, were a regular at gym and actually
worked out while taking the occasional selfie to upload on social media.
But now that it's the festive season, so marks the season of bad dietary decisions.
And this
has you worried about gaining back all the weight you managed to vigilantly put
off, worry not.
Dr Robert
Delgado, Registered Chiropractor and Certified Wellness Practitioner, unpacked
a few tricks to keep even the laziest of us, still slim and fit.
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“While the
stress related to work reduces, which is positive, lifestyle choices often
deteriorate during this time which can set people back on their health
journey," he explained.
Delgado continued, "During the festive
season, people are more likely to end up drinking and eating more. As a result,
you have got to try think of healthy ways to counteract these actions, such as
eating a salad, going for a brisk walk when you wake up or sitting for five
minutes meditating.”
He said the
challenge with the festive season was that people often got into the habit of
bad eating and lack of exercise and this continued even when they got back to
work the following year.
"If
you come back to work and find you have totally come off track, don’t just try give up everything, it is difficult
to go cold turkey. Rather start by
adding some healthy food and increased activity to the body. The body will
start getting used to the healthier choices and stop craving the bad stuff as
much.”
Guilt can
be just as damaging during the festive season, Delgado warned, “If it is Christmas eve and you are going to
have a massive piece of cake, just enjoy it – it is a festive time and you are
partaking in an activity with the people you love and it is not a common
occurrence. Don’t beat yourself up, just ask yourself what you can do tomorrow
to counter act this unhealthy choice.”
“Being healthy is a continuous journey of ups
and downs, it is not a destination. You must chose to strive for health every
day and do your best to balance out the bad with the good," Delgado added.
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Naazneen
Khan, Health and Wellness Manager at Nestlé South Africa stated, “The easiest
way to get into healthier eating habits is to focus on portion control. Over
the years, portion sizes have increased and so has our calorie intake. It’s
important for everyone to know how much our bodies need in order to keep us
fully nourished, healthy and energised.”
Quick tips
from Delgado on how to find a healthy balance this festive season:
- Wake up a bit earlier in the morning and
go for a brisk walk
- It’s not about being perfect and saying
no, it is about trying to balance out bad choices with good choices
- If you know you are going to be eating
an unhealthily meal, make the meal before or that one really healthy
- Eat something fresh and healthy,like a
small salad, before you eat something bad
- Always wait half an hour before having
seconds
- Judge food according to how you feel
afterwards not during – if you are feeling sluggish after a meal you know it
was not good for the body
While Khan
advised:
- ½ of your plate should be filled with
veggies, salads or fruit. This will help with keeping you full and will provide
you with beneficial vitamins, minerals and fibre.
- ¼ of your plate should be filled with
starch. Choose whole grain varieties over refined starches, such as white
bread, white rice and white pap. This will keep you feeling fuller for longer
- ¼ of your plate should be filled with
a lean piece of protein of your choice. This could be chicken, meat, fish,
beans, lentils, eggs, etc. This helps with growth and maintenance that your
body needs.