May 2023: the month of the bank holidays. With the weather holding out for once and after a long, cold and wet winter, spirits across the UK are high.
Along with the longer-than-usual break from work stress, for most Brits, Bank Holidays are associated with BBQs and booze, with a hefty 712 million pints estimated to have been consumed over the Platinum Jubilee weekend last year. It’s hard work, but someone has to do it.
Despite the fun and festivities around Bank Holidays, it can be difficult to navigate the nutritional side of things and make the best choices for you through this period. A fine balance between enjoyment and awareness – without it being all you can think about.
To help with this, we’ve come up with some simple tips to see you through the bank holiday season.
How to Have a Healthy Bank Holiday
1. Be mindful of what you’re eating
Relating back to our previous post on improving your relationship with food, check-in with yourself and ask what looks good, and what you think will make you feel good, and that doesn’t mean “what won’t I feel guilty for eating later”.
Pay attention to your hunger cues, and what you think your body needs (this is not something that can be mastered overnight!), and make a choice based on that. Sometimes this might be the salad option, sometimes it might be a burger and ice cream! Learn to trust your body to know what you need and what will feel good.
2. Choose your alcohol wisely
While we all want to contribute to another staggering 712 million pints over these weekends, be wary of the calories you’re consuming from alcohol. Everyone knows that a clear spirit and diet drink is a lower calorie option (if measured and not free-poured), but also consider how long it takes you to drink these drinks. Your gin and slimline tonic may have fewer calories per drink, but if you’re consuming two or three of these in this space of time you’d normally have a beer or glass of wine, and if you prefer the latter, you’re not benefiting from the change of drink at all.
Keep your drinking mindful, and always make sure to top-up with water, too.
3. BYO
With the various dietary preferences, and the cost of food nowadays, bringing your own dishes to contribute to a BBQ or picnic is now a social norm (a win for everyone, really). If you are wanting to have more control over what you’re eating, this is the perfect way – prepare something within your calories/macros, and bring it with you.
We’ve got plenty of picnic-appropriate dishes on our blog here, which are as good for you as they are delicious.
4. Stack your plate properly
We love balance at FFF, and Bank Holidays and BBQ season are very much included there. If you’re unsure of what to eat, but want to make sure it’s healthy, aim for at least two sources of veggies (or fruit as well, if available), a lean protein, a source of carbs (whether that’s a grain salad or a burger bun), and a healthy source of fat (avocado in your burger, some nuts in a salad, etc).
Using a simple formula like that can take the stress and obsessing away from knowing what to eat. If you’re still hungry, go for more – trust your body!
5. Don’t give yourself a hard time
Much like one salad won’t make you ‘healthy’, one wild night in a pub garden won’t completely derail you. All fitness journeys are an up and down path of progress, and if it’s not, you’re probably not prioritising the right things!
Don’t be afraid of events like these over the Summer; you don’t need to turn down social occasions to hit your goals. It’s all about prioritising and being mindful. Start driving to more events, or pre-booking Ubers to leave if you’re concerned things might get out of hand.
If you want more peace of mind throughout the week, you can always give a Fresh Fitness Food plan a go, using the code BLOG50 for £50 off your first week.
