How to survive the run up to Christmas

It’s Christmas time... mulled wine, mince pies, turkey leftovers, chocolate,and alcohol, plus time off work – it’s a bad combination forour waistlines and our motivation, AND it’s cold outsidetoo!!So how can we survive this festive season withoutpiling on the extra pounds that take weeks to get rid of?Did you know it can take 40 minutes on a treadmill to burnoff a mince pie!Don’t worry help is at hand - we have come up with our Top10 ways to enjoy a healthy and happy Christmas for you andyour loved ones.Christmas is a time when people often go way overboard withtheir eating habits, chocolate for breakfast lunch anddinner and these bad habits make us lethargic and can setus back months in our fitness goals.These are just a few handy tips that can help keep you onthe straight and narrow so you don’t go completely off therails and undo all the hard work you’ve done this year.Healthy StartStart the day with a cup of hot water with a lemon slice andsome warming fresh ginger too if you like it. This will helpto alkalise the stomach and settle your PH levels, importantwhen you are eating a lot of rich, acidic food throughoutthe day. Also a homemade fruit smoothie is a greatalkalising, breakfast alternative.Ditch the SweetsSwap sugary sweets and chocolate for fruit – tangerinesand clementines are seasonal, colourful and loaded withimmune boosting goodness. Nuts are everywhere at Xmas tooso grab an handful of healthy fats to keep your sugarycarb cravings at bay.Liquid caloriesThis time of year it seems it’s gingerbread lattes and noend of sugary drinks available everywhere. Add in the mulledwine and other drinks no wonder our belts needs looseningbefore Christmas Day has even arrived. Keep up your waterintake through the festive period as it will keep yourenergy levels higher, help stop you drinking as many calorieladen drinks and flush out those toxins.WorkoutJust because your normal routine’s gone out of the windowit doesn’t mean you can’t work out – 10 minutes of HIIT(high intensity interval training) first thing will set youup for the day, or go for a 30 minute run or use home exercise equipment.Walking the dog or just going for a walk with the family is a great way foreveryone to burn calories and enjoy the winter scenery(especially if Santa brings a bike for the kids).Immunity boostersAs the days are shorter and the flu season begins one ofthe best ways to stay healthy can be through supplementssuch as a greens drinks, multi-vitamins and making sure wedon’t neglect our fruit and vegetable intake. Our vitamin Dlevels are low at this time of year due to lack ofsunlight, so make sure you get eggs, salmon, sardines andother seafood into your diet to help keep levels up.Alcohol AlternativesFruit cocktails are a delicious alternative to alcohol orof course you could offer to drive and stick to sparklingwater with some fresh lime saving yourself a hangover andyour friends a fortune on taxi fare. If you are drinkingjust make sure to have a glass of water for at least every2, ideally 1, alcoholic drink you do have.Dance the Night AwayIf you are out at a party hit the dance floor and burn offthose excess calories - remember to “dance like no one iswatching”Healthy Christmas DinnerWhen it comes to the big event it’s actually not anunhealthy meal - pile your plate high with vegetables,especially the green ones, have plenty of turkey and holdback on too many roast potatoes. Cauliflower is a greatsource of Vitamin C and it’s good for your heart.Avoid some foodsWhile it’s nice to indulge you will help yourself if you cansteer clear of the bread and cheese – Opt for a smallerplate and pile your plate high with salad on those Christmasteas and go for meat rather than cheese.Get your head rightWaiting until 2014 to do anything healthy is a sure fire wayto ensure you start the New Year feeling sluggish, bloated,tired and depressed that your clothes don’t fit so well. Bemindful of your eating, drinking and activity over the nextfew weeks and allow yourself to enjoy the festive seasonusing some of these tips without losing site of what yourhealth and fitness goals are and remember “Take care of your body, it's the only place you have to live"