This could be used in other countries for other celebrations
where food plays a central role but for many of us in the UK and Europe
Christmas is the major eating celebration of the year.
We will assume here you aren’t young and trying to add mass.
If that is you then simply eat. The fact
you are eating an each few thousand calories will only help your goals, but for
people concerned about their waistlines it is time to think about how to
minimise the damage.
Do NOT be strong willed
Unless you have a contest that depends upon you making you
weight class or a fat percentage then do not avoid everything. Eating a few
hundred calories more than normal on one day will have zero effect on you if
you stick to the eating plan before and then return to that plan afterwards. Just remember it is OVERDOING things that
gets you into trouble. Have a handful of
crisps (chips in the US), a bite or 2 of chocolate will be fine, just do not
binge from morning to night. Allow
yourself a little leeway on Christmas day, but plan on a return to normal
training and eat the day after Christmas (boxing day).
Alcohol
Alcohol is 7Kcal per
gram, more than carbs or protein but less than fat. Alcohol also has the dubious honour of being
able to turn on your fat storage systems and switch off your fat burning (nice
combo!). Your body burns alcohol over other fuel. Much of the other food you eat goes directly
to storage (fat storage). A glass of wine is not going affect you too badly,
infact it may have some benefits, but 6 pints with a few chasers are not going
to aid you on the day and will also affect your next training session as you
will have a hangover.. If you are going
to drink heavily plan on missing a few days of training. To minimise the
negatives drink a pint of water after each pint of alcohol and a pint of water
and some vitamin C before bed. You will
notice some impaired performance, but it will not be as extreme as it is if you
do not do these things. Eating can also help,
but it does increase the chances of vomiting (which may not be a bad thing as
you remove alcohol from your system).
Just remember alcohol is a fluid, you can drink many more
calories than you can eat. Always eat before you drink. Foods that absorb fluids slightly slow the
absorption of alcohol (bread and similar).
Obviously do not train or do anything dangerous while under
the influence of alcohol your judgement is impaired so be sensible and safe.
Brazil nuts
Traditionally many families have brazil nuts at Christmas in
the UK. Brazil nuts are a very concentrated source of selenium. You only need about 2 brazil nuts to get
enough selenium. If you eat around 10-12 nuts you risk overdosing on selenium.
So enjoy Brazil nuts in moderation. The worst offenders are the chocolate
Brazil nuts you can buy as many people can only manage a nut or two, but cannot
resist many chocolate coated nuts!
How to avoid overeating
Christmas dinner is the traditional overeating meal. Allow yourself some leeway and do enjoy the
meal. A few simple tips will help you
survive with a reasonable waistline.
Drink water before and during
Drink some water before you eat and during your meal. You stomach is a sack, you only have so much
room in there. If it is partly full of
water you will not feel as hungry.
Eat your greens
Eat the green vegetables first when you start your
meal. Green, leafy vegetables are full
of fibre, bulky and low in calories.
Like the water they will fill the stomach without many calories.
Use a small plate
A smaller plate makes you eat less. Use a smaller plate and
it looks like more food.
Chew your food
Chew your food a lot.
You have no teeth in your stomach, so make sure you chew thoroughly.
This will slow eating and it has been shown that eating more slowly actually
lessens fat accumulation.
Put down your cutlery
Stop, talk, be sociable.
You are at a family gathering to enjoy the company of others, so enjoy
it! It shouldn’t be about the food, it should be about the company, so take the
opportunity to communicate with your family and friends.
Snacking
There is little need to snack on Christmas day as there is
ample food at the main meal, so try to minimise snacking. In most households there are many snacks
available all day, so minimise these or stick to less calorie dense snacks, or
small amounts of others.
Final points
Christmas is to enjoy.
One day of even terrible eating isn’t going to ruin an otherwise good
diet. So give yourself permission to
enjoy some foods and drinks. What is the
point of being the most ripped miserable person in the room? Have some treats, eat some roast potatoes and
then get back to the gym and healthy eating tomorrow. You’ll be glad you did as
it will be a day to remember!
Written by Pete Ryan - Clinical nutritionist, personal trainer and massage therapist. Owner of Gorilla Gym
Further reading: "Eating vegan over Christmas" for more tips
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