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The holiday season is upon us, and whether your holidays smell like cinnamon and butter or boerewors on a braai, the temptation to just unwind completely can be overwhelming. Who wouldn’t want to spend three weeks on a beach eating fruit mince pies and drinking soda? As a result, the fear of derailing your diet and skipping exercise can keep you from fully enjoying the moments that matter.

Here’s how you can still savour the season without ending up with the 'regretti' from eating too much spaghetti.

1. Mindful indulgence

So, here’s the situation: You’re at the Christmas family buffet. Every aunty has brought her speciality dish, and all of them want you to try their dish. So, how do you navigate this situation? By practicing mindful indulgence.

By all means, try every dish. Allow yourself to savour every bite, appreciating the flavours and textures of your favourite festive dishes. But, instead of reaching for seconds, take a moment to assess your hunger and choose smaller portions. Be conscious of your eating habits, and you’ll be able to enjoy every moment without worrying about your diet.

2. Make exercise fun

Very few people want to hit the gym while on holiday. So, how do you stay active? You make time for it in the little moments of the day. Walk to the beach, to the park, or to the store. Not sure what to do at night? Go out dancing. Your routines are different when on holiday, so your workout shouldn’t be the same as at home either.

3. H2O to go!

Your best friend on holiday should be a reusable water bottle. Make it a point to drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially if you’re enjoying lots of sweet and salty snacks. Good hydration supports overall wellbeing and can also help control cravings and prevent overeating.

4. Plan the indulgences

Here’s a great hack. Instead of grabbing the first snack you see, plan every indulgence. Plan trips for ice cream on the beach. It’s the easiest way to prevent over snacking. This means you can also plan healthy meals to balance it out. This approach allows you to relish the festive flavours without feeling deprived or guilty.

5. Goodnight, moon

Sleep is the only thing you can change. You need to get a full night’s rest in to help you feel refreshed and ready for your holiday. Sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, as a lack of sleep has been shown to increase appetite by changing hormones and could make you more likely to eat unhealthy foods and influences how body fat is lost.

Remember that the Tempo Fitness and Nutrition Journeys are available wherever you go, so you can still keep track of your training sessions and nutrition. Your holidays are a time to relax. But, by avoiding overindulging, you can still have your cake and eat it too… albeit, with a little kale on the side.

References:

FITON. Accessed 2023. 8 Ways to Indulge Mindfully & Stay Healthy During The Holidays. Available here

The Conversation. 2020. Why sleep is so important for losing weight. Available here

Healthline: 2018. Healthy Holidays 101: Tips, Tricks, and Recipes. Available here