The warmer weather is well and truly here and Christmas is fast approaching, you can feel the party vibes in the air.

Being healthy is all about enjoying everything you love in moderation – denying yourself of anything is not allowed in my books and is definitely no way to spend the end of year and Christmas celebrations.

However, at this time of the year our healthy lifestyles can easily go out the window, as we are tempted to overindulge in rich foods and alcohol all the more often. With a little planning, it is easy to stay in good health whilst still enjoying summer, Christmas and all the festivities each and every day.

Here are some of my best tips to get you through the festive season feeling happy, confident and healthy – without the overindulgences and feelings of guilt!

• Continue your everyday healthy eating habits. Just because it’s the silly season and you are on holidays doesn’t mean your everyday habits should fly out the window until the New Year. Still continue to start your day with a warm lemon water/apple cider vinegar or green tea, morning exercise (get it out of the way early) and a healthy breakfast.
• Don’t deprive yourself, of anything. EVER! Please allow yourself permission to enjoy all the foods and drinks you love in small amounts. Moderation is essential. When you deprive yourself of certain foods, it often leads to overeating and binging later down the track.
• Never go to an event feeling hungry. Always make an effort to never go anywhere with that starving feeling in your stomach. You will arrive at the event and not feel in control of your food choices as your body is crying out with hunger. You will often eat the first thing you can lay your eyes on, which is most often sadly not the healthiest or best option.
• Eat before you drink. This relates to the tip above. Never drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Always eat something nutritious before you head out. Food will help to slow down the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. If you forget to eat before you drink and then get famished a few hours later, try to avoid snacking on high fat foods such as hot chips and pizza, instead go for healthier options such as dips with crackers and pita breads, olives, nuts and grilled meat or seafood.
• It’s OK to say no. No one is forcing you to eat anything they offer you. Be confident and politely say ‘no thanks’ if your offered something that does not align with you, your goals or is simply not the healthiest option.
• Drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration. Alcohol is one of the major causes of dehydration. When our body processes alcohol we lose fluid and important electrolytes such as magnesium and potassium. Many common hangover symptoms including headaches, dry mouth and thirst are partly caused by dehydration. The best way to avoid dehydration is to drink your day’s worth of water before you begin drinking (2 – 3 Litres), and to continue to drink plenty of water in between alcoholic drinks when you are out.
• Drink slowly. It is best to play it safe and try to stick to one alcoholic drink an hour. This gives your liver time to process the alcohol properly and prevent build up of alcohol in your blood stream. I know this one can be tricky to stick to at times, but try your best on most occasions!
• Up your antioxidant intake. Drinking alcohol leads to an increase in free radical production, resulting in damage to cells in the body. Increasing your antioxidant intake is the best way to combat this. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and found in oranges and other citrus fruits, berries, guava, rose hip tea and parsley. Other rich sources of antioxidants include berries such as acai berry and blueberries, green tea, tomatoes and other red and orange fruits and vegetables.
• Don’t put yourself under pressure to eat or drink perfectly. Relax with food and drinks and let your self enjoy the celebrations and nights out with ease. You deserve them!

Hopefully these tips will help you get through the holiday season feeling happy, healthy and ready to take on 2017!

If you would like to know more information about any of the above, or any other topics please do not hesitate to contact me on ashlee.yourwellnessproject@gmail.com

Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy and Safe Christmas and New Year!!!!