Can you believe it’s nearly December?! It’s one of the busiest months of the year for many people, filled with Christmas parties, events, and gatherings that often lead us to indulge in eating and drinking outside our normal routines. While it’s tempting to fully embrace these festivities, the goal is to enjoy them without feeling tired, bloated, and without the need to ‘start over’ in January, a common experience for many. So, I’ve compiled my top tips to help support your energy and health this December, allowing you to maximise your enjoyment with friends and family.

1. Plan Ahead: Take a moment on a Sunday evening to review your diary and plan some nutritious meals for times when the office Christmas buffet may not offer balanced options. Dust off that slow cooker for simple hearty meals with meat or grains, veggies, and herbs served alongside steamed vegetables and rice or potatoes.

2. Prevent Overindulgence: If you anticipate facing lots of processed or rich foods that may lead to a food coma, prepare by having a protein smoothie beforehand. This can help reduce your portion intake and curb cravings, ensuring you’re already satisfied before you leave the door. If you’d like some clean protein powder recommendations, feel free to ask me!

3. Prepare Your Body: Before heading out for dinners and drinks, consume apple cider vinegar, a handful of nuts, or some salad/vegetables to help stabilise blood sugar levels for what’s to come. This will help lower your energy crashes, tiredness, mood swings, and brain fog, particularly if you’re out in the day.

4. Practice Mindful Eating: When confronted with tempting Christmas treats, practice mindful eating. Pause and consider the acronym HALT—check if you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired before indulging. Reflecting before consumption can be beneficial if you tend to exceed your limits.

5. Load Up on Wholefood Concentrates: Incorporate wholefood fruit, vegetable and berry concentrates into your daily routine to support your liver during the detox process and mop up inflammation. These can also be used as a natural hangover remedy!! If you want information on getting 30 different concentrated fruits, veggies, and berries (which are supported by 40+ clinical studies) into your diet every single, feel free to message me for details.

6. Stay Hydrated: In winter, it’s easy to overlook dehydration. Stay on top of water intake through warm drinks, water, and alternatives like coconut water and kombucha. Hydration helps flush out Christmas toxins and prevents a backlog of indulgences.

7. Opt for Less Sugary Alcoholic Drinks: Choosing less sugary options is better for your blood sugar levels such as vodka & soda, dry white wine, light beers or a light cocktail eg: “Light Margarita” made with fresh lime juice, tequila, and a splash of triple sec can be a flavourful but lower-sugar choice.

8. Stay Active: With less time for traditional workouts, incorporate shorter bursts of exercise into your routine. Consider quick home workouts like James Knight workouts—30 minutes each morning on Zoom, a mix of cardio and weights.  Message me for the details or check out his website: https://maxout30.com/

So there you have it! These tools should help you navigate December, allowing you to enjoy the festive season without suffering the consequences afterward.

If you do need some support in the New Year then my 4 week Energy Restore course starts on 8th January! All the details can be found under the ‘Programmes’ tab of this website.

I’d love to hear from you and which tips you found the most useful. Jeanette x