- Lauren
Tips for surviving the silly season
Quick steps to better health over the "silly season":
Eat a healthy breakfast. It's a great way to start the day, plus research shows that people who eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to eat better for the rest of the day.
Drink plenty of water. The benefits of water are endless - from making sure you're not thirsty when you feel hungry, to balancing out alcohol or soft drink beverages - plenty of water during the 'silly season' is such a quick, easy action you can do for better health.
Set aside one hour each week to plan your meals for the week ahead. If you get time to cook some healthy, freeze-ahead meals that's a bonus too! Having these options to turn to when you don't feel like cooking can be the difference between a healthy meal and a take-away meal.
Head to bed earlier when possible. Missing out on sleep leaves you more likely to binge on food and skip exercise.
Go for a walk. Even if it's only 5 minutes. If you manage 20 mins, it can reduce your risk of heart disease by 30%. It also has great stress-relief benefits which could be handy at this time of year!
Aim to eat at least one or two pieces of fruit or veg at every meal. Almost half of all deaths from heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke are linked to poor nutrition. Fruits and vegetables help every part of your body from your brain to your bowels!
Choose steamed vegetables or salad instead of fried chips, wedges or mashed potatoes.
Instead of gravy with your turkey, try cranberry sauce.
Choose a smaller plate and watch your portion sizes. Try to resist the temptation to go back for seconds!
Get moving whenever and wherever possible! Try a game of cricket in the backyard, kick the footy with the kids, go for a walk before or after dinner, jump on your bike or in the pool, you could even give table tennis a go.
We hope you find these tips useful, and you have a wonderful "silly season" with your loved ones!