Simple Tips For Staying Healthy During The Silly Season

It's that wonderful festive time of year again.

We're catching up with family and friends, drinking (a little too much) at parties and getting excited about stuffing our face with Christmas delicacies such as ham, turkey, prawns, pavlova and Christmas pudding, to the point where we need to take a little Nana nap! Then wake up and start the cycle all over again - it’s delicious!

However, you don't have to completely forget your healthy diet and routine just because it's the Silly Season - and you don't have to miss out on those traditional Christmas foods you love either.

It's all about moderation, planning and a little self-control.

The odd indulgence every now and then is not going to do any long-term damage. It's when these over indulgences become regularly occurrences that the long-term damage is done. 

The most common issues with unhealthy behaviours during the Silly Season are over consumption of alcohol, over indulgence of food and poor food choices. These all come in to play as a result of the many functions and parties with work, family and friends we attend around this time of year.

A few simple tips for staying healthy during the “Silly Season”:

1. Stick to a routine

Push yourself to stick to your regular exercise routine (even if you’ve had a late night!) which in turns keeps you positive and motivated to want to stay fit and healthy.

2. Limit your alcohol intake

Alcohol is loaded with sugar and empty calories, so keep track of how many drinks you are having and try and pace yourself, with a glass of water in between each alcoholic drink.

3. Avoid going to parties on an empty stomach

Party foods are often a mix of high fat and high carbohydrates, which spell disaster for the waistline. Eating a healthy meal or low GI snack (fruit, yoghurt, smoothie) before you go will help to avoid mindless snacking on miniature party pies and sausage rolls.

4. Take a plate.

If you are visiting friends for lunch or dinner, or going to your family's Christmas Day celebrations, offer to take a plate. This way you know there will be at least one healthy dish on the menu.

5. Don't deprive yourself.

After all, it is the festive season! Make the majority of your main meal salad or vegetables, but have small portions of everything that you really fancy. Moderation is key!

6. Steer clear of the punch bowl.

Punches are notorious for containing a concoction of booze that taste like cordial and it is impossible to judge how much you have actually consumed!

Making a few conscious decisions and sticking to your routine will help you keep nutrition at the front of your mind and minimise the festive season over indulgences. This will hopefully see you survive the Silly Season, and hopefully come out the other side, breaking even on the weight and health front!

If you need some help shifting any stubborn excess fat pockets, contact the Meei clinic to discuss our treatment options:

3D Cavitation - a natural phenomenon based on low-frequency ultrasound. The ultrasound produces a strong wave of pressure to fat cell membranes. The fat cells cannot with stand this pressure and therefore disintegrates into a liquid state.

3D Cyro Freeze/Fat Freezing - This non-invasive treatment uses a combination of electro and cryo therapy to target stubborn pockets of fat. By lowering the temperature to -6 degrees, it pinpoints the content of the fat cells, causing them to crystalize. During this process anywhere from 20%-40% of the fat cells in the specific area to die.

3D HIFU - This treatment uses the latest technology to target specific focused areas of fat. This technology works by delivering focused energy at a depth of 1.3cm and 8mm to destroy fat cells. The high frequency of the ultrasound wave results in heating under the skin, effectively destroying the fat cells while tightening the skin. The damaged cells are then flushed away via a natural process through the lymphatic system which continues for up to 3 month’s post treatment.

Happy Holidays!

The Meei Team P:1300 313 362