Have your cake and eat it – but not too much
At this time of year, it’s all too easy to think ‘what the hell, I’ll diet in the New Year’ and overindulge over the festive period but this isn’t the healthiest approach. What you could try doing is accepting that you may indeed overindulge, or at least eat more during this period, but you don’t have to give up on healthy eating and exercise completely! Even if you're indulging more than you usually would, try to balance this out with healthy eating, incorporating fruit and vegetables into meals and drinking plenty of water. Mindful eating is another way of ensuring that you really appreciate richer, festive foods: try eating slowly, and really savour what you taste.
It can also help to keep any treats tucked away in your cupboard - out of sight, out of mind! Leaving snacks dotted around and on display can make it very difficult to resist, making it far too easy to mindlessly graze when you’re not even hungry.
Drink in moderation
The festive period is of course a time of merriment where we eat and drink the things we love. As with overindulging with food, you don’t have to overdo it with the fizz. Instead of overdrinking and picking up the pieces in January, be conscious of how many drinks you're having each day and take the time to enjoy every sip. Avoiding mixers and cocktails is a good place to start, as it’s easier to get carried away with fruity, sweet drinks. Instead, try sticking to a couple of straight spirits or glasses of good wine each day.