Pure Health’s Top Tips for a Healthy Holiday Season

The festive season is super fun and social time of year, but for some people it can be a little daunting as they are out of their usual routine of eating and exercising, which can sometimes lead to a little bit of weight gain. We are not here to make you feel like a little weight gain is bad or to imply that you should be super strict – that is not what we want!

A little weight gain for some is totally normal while others might find they actually lose weight possibly due to more incidental exercise and walking – we are all so different. The little weight gain is nothing to worry about and will easily come off when you return to your routine. It is all about finding the right balance. Besides while we totally believe food is there to nourish us we also think it should be enjoyed!

Pure Health’s Top Tips

1. Plan ahead – Look up the menu of the restaurant to see if they have food options that will cater to you dietary triggers. Decide what you’d like to order before you go out. Sometimes when we are hungry we can’t make a rationale decision on what to eat.
2. Aim to stick to whole-foods 70-80% of the time – Aim to incorporate1-2x balanced meals daily that include lean source of protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.
3. Request an extra serve of veggies or a side salad – Avoid restriction mindset rather think what you can add more of. If you feel like pizza and pasta go for it. Have a salad or veggies on the side and you a have yourself a well balanced meal that will keep you sustained for hours.
4. Focus on incidental exercise – Choose to go on a walk with friends or family. Opt for the stairs over the evaluator or lift. On top of this plan out fun active adventures – this might look like a hike or a bike ride.
5. Limit dietary triggers where possible – Gluten, dairy and sugar. While it might be nice to have little bits here and there sometimes how it makes you feel isn’t worth it plus most places offer alternatives now. 
6. Stay hydrated – Always keep a water bottle filled with filtered water on you, this will help flush toxins and beat the bloat. 
7. Keep healthy staples on hand – Aim to eat out for 1-2 meals and make the others at home if possible. Have healthy snacks or small meals such as yoghurt, oats, olives, vegetables, fruit, dips, goats cheese ready to go when your feeling peckish, this stops you getting super hungry which often leads to over eating.
8. Take your supplements – Continue to take your supplements that your Nutritionist has suggested and prescribed. 
9. Slow down during your meals – Stop, take a few deep breaths and really enjoy the food you are eating.
10. Fast at least 12 hours over night – Give your digestive system a break especially if you are eating more of the types of foods that you don’t usually. Allow yourself to get hungry again. You don’t just have to eat for the sake of it. Food is way more enjoyable when you are actually hungry.
11. Have alcohol free days – There is plenty of time to enjoy yourself but it’s important to give your body a break some days.
12. Enjoy yourself and do what feels right for you!!