My Christmas Survival Plan
Want to ‘hit the ground running’ in 2022?
Have you already started eating more sugar and rich food than normal, drinking on a school night and feeling a bit stressed or sub par?
I certainly have - and drinking more coffee too. And to be honest, I’m not feeling great! Already put on a few pounds, feeling anxious when I wake up and had a migraine yesterday - all signs that my nutrition is off. It’s time to put together a plan for the next couple of weeks, so I can enjoy time with family without feeling pants, and hit the ground running in January when I come back to work.
Here are some things you can think about over the festive period to try to limit the damage to your mental and physical health.
Keep Hydrated. Hydration is so important - all the processes in our body happen in a fluid environment and our body should be around 60% water (it varies dependent on age, and sex). A sub-optimal environment reduces the speed and efficiency of all metabolic processes, so dehydration means we are sluggish, with brain fog and generally feel a bit rubbish. Maintaining hydration optimises mental and physical performance and keeps the liver and kidneys happy, helping them to flush out toxins.
Drink 8 x 8oz glasses of water a day
I'll be adding Phytolife to my water to keep me alkaline and for added green stuff, but you can add lemon, mint, ginger or berries for added phytonutrients.
Prioritise sleep. Sleep is central to mental and physical health. Not getting enough increases stress, sugar cravings & hormone imbalances, leading to increased calorie intake. It increases the body’s production of grehlin which makes us feel more hungry and reach for the quick energy fix of sugar-rich foods. Plus, I don't know about you, but I feel seriously grouchy if I don't get enough!
Get 7.5-8hrs quality sleep per night. Deep sleep is necessary for repair of tissues and sleeping for 7.5 hours will maximise your REM sleep later in the night, which is vital for emotional wellbeing.
Try to maintain your normal sleep routine. If you are a 10pm - 6am person, suddenly becoming a night owl will really affect your mood! Living on a different time frame through the holidays is like having jet lag. Try to stick within an hour of your normal bedtime for the majority of the time.
I’ll be stretching to a 10pm bedtime - my normal 9pm might be a little antisocial!
Exercise outside every day. Even a half hour mindful walk can improve mood, reduce stress, burn extra calories and improve mental health. 10-15 minutes bright light within 45 minutes of waking can have a profound effect on your energy levels and ability to sleep at night by balancing cortisol (the hormone which wakes you up) and melatonin (the hormone which makes you sleepy). Getting up and out is a great start to the day and can give you a great end!
I'll be walking, running for my charity challenge and cold water swimming first thing in the morning to maintain my immunity, resilience, mood and sleep quality.
Focus on green leafy veg and colour at every meal you have control over. Christmas dinner will be high in protein, carbs, hopefully good fat (if you’ve bought an outdoor bred and reared turkey), and should have a lot of veg with those delicious sprouts which are full of vitamin C, folate, fibre and are a rich source of antioxidants. But the mince pies, chocolate, pastries, cake - all of these are full of sugar and calories with very little nutrition, so try to balance it out when you are eating at home by filling your plate with veg or having a smoothie or eating some fruit.
I'm not saying no to the cake, chocolate and rich food and I'll be drinking gin and wine. However, I will be making sure I have some wilted spinach or a handful of rocket with my eggs in the morning, and be eating a rainbow of colour at every home-cooked meal so I get enough nutrients alongside the crap!. And if I feel as though I’ve overdone it, then a smoothie with Biome Shake will give me that extra fibre and greens.
Listen to your body, it the best medic you can get. Listen to what it tells you quietly. Don't wait till it's shouting at the top of its voice - take note of the quiet whispers and act. Those small symptoms can be dealt with by prioritising sleep, nutrition, exercise and mindfulness but leave it too long and it’s a whole different ballgame and could leave your health seriously compromised.
I’ve started listening to my body this week and hearing it complaining - the brain fog, the migraine, the anxiety are all signs that I’m giving it calories, but not enough of the right nutrients. So I’ll be working a bit harder to get in the good stuff and increasing my Body Prime intake (Synergy’s magnesium supplement) and using Biome Shake or Smartmeal to boost my nutrition daily.
Be kind to yourself, look after yourself and above all, enjoy yourself!
Merry Christmas!