With Christmas having come and gone, New Year’s resolutions are well underway, and the gyms are getting increasingly busier by the day.
Regardless of the time of year, it can be difficult to navigate the nutritional side of things and make the best choices around social events. 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 help you build habits that see you through weekends, heavy social occasions, or whatever life may throw your way in 2024.
How to make every weekend a healthy one
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. 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! Then, make a choice based on that. Sometimes this might be a crisp salad, other times it might be a burger! Learn to trust your body to know what you need and what will feel good.
2. Choose your alcohol wisely
While a lot of us love a weekend pub trip, it’s good to be mindful 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. Squeeze a workout in
If you’ve got a weekend filled with drinking and eating – or even if you don’t – try to fit a workout of some sort in around your plans. While you certainly don’t have to earn your food, you need to be realistic with any goals you’re working towards and note that the only way to see progress is to put the work in. You can’t expect results if you’re not trying to get them!
Get up slightly earlier one morning to squeeze a run or class in, or to hit the gym! Even if it’s not a full session, something is still better than nothing, and it helps keep the discipline.
4. Stack your plate properly
We love balance at FFF, and that means eating a mix. 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, and a healthy source of fat.
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 indulgent meal won’t derail you. All fitness journeys are an up-and-down path of progress. If it’s not, you’re probably not prioritising the right things!
It certainly doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach to hitting your goals. It’s all about prioritising and being mindful. You can still have fun, make the most of the great food, and great company, while being mindful of what you’re consuming!
If you want more peace of mind throughout the week, give a Fresh Fitness Food plan a go. Use the code BLOG60 for £60 off your first week.
Fresh Fitness Food provides personalised meal plans delivered straight to your door. We ensure not only that you have the nutrients you need to support your goals, but also that you have the time usually spent shopping, cooking and washing up, to engage in your favourite festive activities. To discuss which nutrition plan is right for you, book a call with our in-house nutrition team here.
Order today and start smashing your goals with personalised nutrition!
Get £60 off a 5-day trial with code: BLOG60. Start your trial here
