How to Stay Fit During the Festive Season?

While festivities are an occasion to rejoice, the stress of fulfilling social obligations coupled with mind-blowing culinary delights can wreak havoc on your waistline. It is no secret that most of us tend to gorge on rich, calorie-dense holiday fare. So how can you set a good example for your kids and still enjoy the season without packing on the pounds?

In order to keep yourself fit and healthy this time, Mars by GHC has some useful health tips for you. 

There are some significant changes in lifestyle during the holiday season, from feasting on delicious food to enjoying time with family and friends. Since a healthy lifestyle is important during the holiday season, Mars by GHC has come up with a list of dos and don'ts that will make your holidays healthy and active.

At the onset of the holiday season, when you are busy preparing for the best party of the year, give a thought to your physical fitness. If you do not, you can end up paying a hefty physical price for your excessive eating and drinking during the long break from work.

The good news is that it is never too late to get in shape. Even if you have spent your entire summer bingeing on potato chips, do not give in to despair. A month in the gym can do a world of good to your bulging tummy and aching back.

During the festive season when you are surrounded by food and drink options from booze to junk food, it is easy to overeat without realizing how much damage you are causing to your body.

The holiday season is a perfect time to spend with family and friends. We are often surrounded by temptations that are hard to resist, be it food or drinks. Tease out some time for yourself by trying out these tips to stay fit during the holiday season.

Mars by GHC has also put together 4 effective tips to help you stay on track with your health goals during this festive season.

1. Tune into your hunger

Eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full - not to fill social awkwardness or because your plate is empty. When you eat beyond satiation, your body feels bloated. Going overboard with food can make you feel lethargic too. Exercising will help you stay away from unhealthy foods.

2. Avoid junk foods

Avoid eating all the junk (and chocolate) - It's not easy to avoid eating all the high-calorie snacks, but unless you have plans to go to the gym right after you are done celebrating, try keeping yourself away from them.

A lot of junk food contains trans-fat which makes you lazy and unproductive. Trans-fat also increases the level of bad cholesterol, which will make you vulnerable to heart diseases.

3. Customize your diet

It is important to understand that there’s no one-size-fits-all diet. Healthy eating for your body type is key to success. Men are typically larger creatures, so they need more calories to sustain muscle mass. Men are also more likely to be naturally leaner. The key is to make sure your diet is customized for your body type.

The first step is to determine your metabolic rate, which you can do with the help of a personal trainer or other healthcare providers. This will help you determine how many calories you burn at rest and during exercise, as well as how many calories you should be consuming on a daily basis. 

The other way to determine how many calories you eat is by using a fitness tracker device, which measures the number of steps you take every day, the number of calories burned during physical activity, and your heart rate.

4. Plan and cook your meals

Plan and cook your meals for the week and stick to the plan to ensure you eat healthy and nutritious food. You should also eat fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables. Green leafy vegetables, whole grain products, almonds, olive oil, walnuts and avocados are some foods that provide a good dose of essential nutrients such as fiber, protein, vitamin D and minerals.

Eating Tips for the Holiday Season

It's the holiday season and we all love to eat delicious food. But with the hectic routine, it is important to take care of our health as well as indulge in some delicious eating as well. Healthy eating is as important as regular yoga exercise during the festive season.

The festive season is also a time when we tend to overeat and indulge in unhealthy foods. Since we tend to eat more than usual, we should ensure that we do not overload on junk food, fats and carbohydrates. This will help us maintain a healthy and active lifestyle and enjoy all our festivities to the fullest.

Mars by GHC provides you with some healthy diet guidelines:

1. A healthy diet contains a lot of fruit and vegetables and whole foods. Try to avoid processed foods and refined sugar.

2. When you're hungry, eat. Our bodies need calories and nutrients, so don't count calories and feel guilty.

3. If you get cravings for certain foods, try to figure out why you crave them. Are you tired, stressed or bored? Try to get enough sleep and exercise regularly to help combat food cravings.

4. A simple way to eat less is to use smaller plates and bowls so your portions look big. This will help you naturally eat smaller portions and feel satisfied.

5. Drink a glass of water or green tea when you feel like eating or drinking sugar-sweetened beverages like soda or juice; while some sugar is okay in moderation, too much sugar can cause weight gain and diabetes.

Take Away

It's the season of giving, spreading cheer, and being merry. It's also the time of year when the hectic schedules, massive meals, and last-minute parties can derail our fitness plans. During the festive season, the whole world turns paleo (well, paleo-ish) and everyone is either preparing for or recovering from the huge food binges that seem to accompany each festival. 

During the festive season we tend to eat a lot and spend more time shopping. This puts a lot of stress on our bodies. Therefore it is imperative to follow some basic steps to stay fit during this peak time of sales and parties.

The high frequency of eating out during the festive season makes one susceptible to obesity and other lifestyle diseases. The aforesaid ways can help you stay fit during the festive season. So without any second thoughts, gear up and make the most of your holidays.