The Christmas Season is fast approaching. While this is a well-deserved rest period for all of us, there is also the question of if our various weight loss programs can possibly survive the gauntlet of holiday meals and treats. Generally, the holidays are the time when we relax, enjoy our favorite foods - and then have to come up with some New Year's Resolutions about going to the gym more to shed all that new holiday weight.
Not gaining all that weight in the first place is much easier than losing weight. But to many of us, the extra holiday pounds are simply an accepted part of life. If you’re undergoing a Chef V Cleanse weight loss program, this can put a real damper on your holiday mood, making it feel like all your green drink efforts have been undone. However, with a little bit of planning and discipline, you can reduce the impact of those Christmas Dinners.
Mind Over Meatloaf
Your state of mind matters a lot when it comes to maintaining good health. No, we’re not saying that you can just wish yourself skinny. However, how you approach the holidays mentally can have a significant effect on how healthy you remain throughout it.
It’s important to make sure that you are eating to enjoy the food, not just because everyone else is eating. Make sure to take it slow, and pay attention to what your body is saying about how full you are. It’s really easy to carry around a plate of snacks and let those sugary treats sneak up on you.
This doesn’t mean you should approach your favorite holiday foods with dread. You should be doing the opposite, in fact! Take the time to slow down and really enjoy your favorite foods. Eat them because you love them, not just because it’s part of the holiday. If you try to deny yourself now, this could lead to binge eating later on. At the same time, it can be useful to make some informed decisions about food - especially if you’re the one cooking.
Reinvent Your Christmas Classics
Of course, what you eat matters just as much as how you eat it. It seems inevitable that your Christmas dinner is going to be filled with carb and fat heavy entrees. However, with just a little bit of imagination, you can improve the health profile of any Christmas classic.
For example, take the heavy potato products that inevitably find their way into most Christmas dinner rosters. Why not swap the cream and butter heavy mashed potatoes for some equally creamy (but less fattening) cauliflower? Instead of topping your sweet potatoes with marshmallows and sugar, why not try out some oatmeal instead?
Still determined to have some meat products at Christmas dinner? For those not ready to go full vegan yet, the devil is in the details. Often, Christmas hams and turkeys get most of their sugar and fat from their glazes. Looking for some glazes that use more natural sweetness can help cut down on calories.
Also, make sure to try and keep your Christmas dinner balanced. There can always be a place at the Christmas table for leafy greens, and other fruits and veggies, if you’re creative. Brussel sprouts make an excellent Christmas dish, and an easy one to cook as well, for example. Broccoli, with a little extra love and attention, can turn into an exciting side dish all its own.
No Green Drink? No Worry
Christmas time isn’t just about the special foods. For many families, it’s time to break out the special drinks as well. Many of these drinks tend to be high in alcohol, fat, or sugar - or, in the case of eggnog, all three at once! These drinks can often be a sneaky source of weight gain that you don’t notice. (They’re certainly a far cry from Chef V’s healthy green drinks!)
Replacing high fat or alcoholic drinks with things like tea, cider or water can be a good way to cut down on the holiday pounds. However, if you don’t want to give up your favorite warm beverages, there are plenty of ways to make healthier versions, especially if you look into milk alternatives.
Keeping Healthy is Sweet
Another staple of Christmas time is the wide array of desserts. This army of delectable treats is also what tends to lead to us feeling rather gross when the whole Christmas binging is over. However, you can still enjoy your Christmas sweets without ruining your whole diet.
For example, there are plenty of baked dessert recipes that cut down on flour or fat. You can also look into adding more fruits and veggies to the desert menu, through additions such as sweet fruit bowls. All of your favorite Christmas staples probably have a low fat, low carb, or low sugar variant if you look it up.
Remain Active
The Christmas season tends to be a colder one, and our instinct is to spend it inside safe and snug with our family. However, there are plenty of ways that you can still keep active, depending on where you are. The key is to turn staying active into a fun family event, rather than a chore. Why not take advantage of the winter landscape to go ice skating, sledding, or take a winter hike through the woods? If you’re not a very outdoorsy family, there are often plenty of Christmas Markets or other special events to peruse.
Relax, and Let Chef V Help
Our best tip for holiday health? Don’t let it worry you. Anxiety is only going to prompt you to stress it. With Chef V Cleanse weight loss as an option, you never need to worry that Christmas means the end of your weight loss goals. Our green drink blended juice cleanses are the perfect way to bring in the new year.
No matter how much you splurged during Christmas, you can rely on Chef V’s blended juice cleanse to detox your body and leave you feeling great. Best of all, they are delivered right to your front door - so no need to worry about venturing out into the cold every day during your detox programs. So sit back, relax, enjoy your break, and know that Chef V is ready to help you out with your weight loss goals - from the modest, up to our 21 day detox.