With festivities round the corner, it’s easier for people to get carried away and develop several health damaging habits. Calorific festive foods and late night revelry when combined with an already stressful & hectic lifestyle could have a disastrous effect on an individual’s health. It is great to celebrate and indulge a little, but you don’t have to stuff your face with celebratory foods. When it comes to resisting food temptations, a strong mind alone can help you stay fit during festivals. Here are a few essential tips to help you enjoy the festivities without having to derail your health
Skipping breakfast
Most people believe that they can lose weight by skipping the first meal in the morning. This is nothing but a misconception. Breakfast is an extremely important meal of the day because it gives the body plenty of energy to perform the day-to-day activities and also helps in maintaining a steady blood sugar level. Moreover, food cravings increase when the stomach is empty hence if you skip breakfast, you may end up overeating at lunch. It is a false notion that skipping breakfast will compensate for the calories that you may consume later that day at a party or social gathering. Owing to a slow metabolism, most food items that are consumed during the later part of the day aren’t digested properly which directly contributes to extra body weight.
Missing out on daily exercise
No reason is good enough for missing out on your regular workout regimen. Regardless of a busy work schedule or a late night dinner party, make it a point to indulge in some or the other form of physical activity. Exercising increases the body’s metabolic rate, thereby burning more calories all through the day. The trick is to keep the body moving and avoid being in a static position for long. If you have not officially signed-up for a gym membership or do not have the time to get up early and exercise, try these high intensity, calorie-burning activities –
- Do some household chores
- Dance to your favorite music,
- Play with your kids in the park
- Walk your dog,
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
Reduced water intake
With easy access to plenty of aerated drinks and alcoholic beverages during the festive season, people often tend to ignore the body’s need for H2O (water). If the body is sufficiently hydrated, you automatically feel full which makes you eat less food and consume less alcohol. What’s more… gulping down 2 or more glasses of water throughout the day is the best and most effective home remedy for a hangover
Excessive smoking & alcohol consumption
Festivals and celebrations should be to mingle and socialize with family & friends but often during this time people tend to over-indulge in unhealthy habits like alcohol consumption and smoking. Besides being loaded with empty calories, alcohol leads to excessive storage of fats in the body and also damages the kidneys in the process. Extreme exposure to nicotine through first-hand & secondhand smoke is extremely injurious to health. This festive season, spread joy, not diseases. Restrain yourself from making unhealthy lifestyle choices.
Over-indulgence of festive sweets
It’s not just lack of willpower, or determination, that makes us overeat and gain weight. Sometimes, it’s that sneaky bad habit you developed without even realizing it. One bad eating habit can trigger a lot of weight gain and increase your risk of developing various illnesses. Like any other habit, turning to sugar can be a tough one to kick, especially if you are constantly exposed to a variety of sugary foods that come in attractive packages.
Festivals and mouth-watering, sugary delights go hand-in-hand. With sweets turning up everywhere how does one turn away?
Find a healthy substitute to satisfy your sweet cravings and also don’t forget to keep a watch on your portion size.
Getting insufficient sleep
In an attempt to catch-up with work whilst making time to attend social gatherings, people often end up with very little nap time which can adversely affect their overall health & wellness. Sleep is a biological need of the body. In the absence of adequate sleep, your immune system takes a serious hit, making you more vulnerable to minor ailments like cold & flu.
Quit these health damaging habits and maximize the festivities this year!
