Christmas is, for many, the most wonderful time of the year. However, it is also an incredibly stressful time for your wallet and your waistline. The stress of gift-giving, dinner organising and shrinking finances can put a much dreaded strain on your overall health. For this reason, here are a few tips on how to stay healthy and avoid weight gain over the Christmas period, without ruining the celebration:

Stress

Stress is one of the main causes of weight gain over the Christmas period, not only in the way you are thinking of. Whilst Christmas-induced stress often leads us to overeat and drink, health obsessions also lead to excess weight. Whilst some accept Christmas as a period to overindulge without guilt, others, over-restrict themselves to the point where they end up binging at the end of a healthy day. It is important to acknowledge, when it comes to staying healthy over Christmas, that a midway often goes a long way and a balanced approach to the holidays will keep you healthier for longer.

Hydration

The Christmas period is often filled with parties, meaning a lot of delicious food and drinks will be served for everyone’s pleasure. A great way to ensure you stay healthy over the Christmas period is to stay hydrated. For every alcoholic drink, ensure you also drink a glass of water and end the night with Dioralyte. This will keep you merry but will not give you the much dreaded hangover the next day, as well as keeping your immune system strong. Hydration is also a fundamental part of staying lean as it quickens your metabolism and ensures your muscles contract effectively.

Exercise

It can be hard to maintain a consistent exercise regime during the holiday season. The busy nature of December combined with the cold weather and dark evenings can really push our workouts to be nothing more than a New Year’s resolution. To make January less of a shock to your system and ensure you stay healthy during the Christmas period, you should continue or start working out over December. If the idea of going to the gym is too much to handle, there are many free and quick Youtube workouts for you to try, which will keep you healthy and lean over the month. See for example the 7 minutes workout here.

Only use safe weight loss supplements

It is often tempting to believe in a miracle weight loss cure that is going to take all the Christmas guilt away. However, regardless of what the current Instagram sensation might tell you, many diet supplements available on the market today are not safe and have led to addiction, ulcers, irregular (and unsafe) bowel movements. So this Christmas season, instead of believing in the latest diet tea, flat tummy lollipops and meal replacement bars, make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist for adequate advice and eventual diet pills.

Staying healthy during the festive period doesn’t have to be restrictive. With a few simple adjustments you will be able to indulge and stay healthy at the same time. A balanced life is the key to a healthy life, contact our online pharmacists and doctors for more advice on how to stay healthy in the coming month.