‘I’m a nutritionist - here's how I stay healthy over xmas & still enjoy festive treats'
Mince pies, pigs in blankets, mulled wine, Terry's chocolate oranges... Christmas (and, let's be honest, December in general) is a time for feasting on your favourite chocolates while curled up watching The Holiday in fuzzy socks and cosy sleepwear, with a velvet hot chocolate, full-bodied glass of red wine or a Baileys on the rocks.
As we dive into decadent homemade desserts and tear open pre-prepared, ultra-processed, Christmas food, it’s easy to imagine health-conscious experts frowning and opting for, well, something a bit healthier.
But, even the healthiest of nutritionists admit they don’t stress over festive excess. Sure, they may stick to a couple of healthy habits over the Christmas period, but, much like the rest of us, they'll treat December as a time to indulge on the good stuff.
For doctor and nutritionist Dr Hazel Wallace – also known as The Food Medic – Christmas is a time for family, relaxation and setting goals for the new year. Here are the health rules she lives by during the festive period…
‘I’m a nutritionist and these are the healthy habits that keep me feeling my best throughout the festive season’
1. Cook from scratch
‘I love cooking during this time of year. My favourite meals to cook from scratch include lots of home comforts like big pots of soup, lasagne and fish pies. It’s tradition in our house to make a curry with the leftover turkey on boxing day which is something I really look forward to.’
2. Allow yourself a little slack when it comes to 'healthy' food
‘I don’t try to make every meal ‘healthy’ over Christmas. Diet culture is not going to ruin my Christmas. All food fits regardless of the time of year and the food during this time of the year includes some of my favourites. I often find when people restrict or try to “save their calories” for party food or the bigger Christmas meals, it backfires and can lead to bingeing and after, feelings of shame or guilt. So what I encourage is to still aim to have your balanced meals, try to stay hydrated, and get some veggies in where you can.’
3. Ditch the phone
‘During the period between Christmas and New Year, I tend to start my mornings by not looking at my phone. I try to not look at my mobile for at least the first hour of the day (sometimes I do a digital detox during this time) and, because we’re off from work, use this time that I would normally set out my to-do list to do some reading or wrap up for a chilly walk with loved ones.’
4. Get outside
‘My non-negotiable healthy habits over the Christmas period include trying to do some form of movement. Even if it’s a country walk after a big roast dinner. I don’t do this to “make up” for food and drink eaten, but just to make me feel good and otherwise, I get a little “cabin-fevery”.’
5. Slow down
‘It can be tricky to stay motivated to exercise over Christmas – it’s dark when we wake up and dark again at 4pm – instead of trying to stick to your usual fitness regime, succumb to a period of slowness. One week off from the gym or off from running isn’t going to change things in the grand scheme of things or cause you to fall off course from your goals. I personally don’t really want to venture into a gym during this time, but spend my days going for walks and the occasional run (especially after my twin nieces). Your body may welcome this time of rest before the new year.
‘To wind down, I like to take a bath. I love a bath but I rarely have them due to time, so I make up for it during this time, often with a book that I’ve been gifted with.’
6. Take a vitamin D supplement
‘As a nutritionist, I believe in food first and typically only recommend supplements in very specific scenarios. But the one supplement I do recommend is Vitamin D. In the UK/Ireland we simply don’t make enough of it during the colder and darker months, so I ensure I take this from October through to March. I do try to squeeze in smoothies, soups and juices where I can during this period so I can get a boost of key nutrients for immune health.’
7. Dish out the responsibilities
‘In order to help limit any Christmas stress in my family, we try our best to all pitch in and have a ‘job’ at Christmas, to help share the load. We also do Secret Santa, so we’re not stressing about everyone’s gifts, but buying one person a gift they would really want. This year I’m hosting which I imagine will be stressful, but I plan to utilise my organisational skills and do a lot of prep ahead of time so that the Christmas day dinner is less daunting.’
8. Set goals for the year ahead
‘I always put on my out-of-office over Christmas, and use the period between Christmas and the New Year to start mapping out my new year’s goals, both personal and professional. Last year I used my healthy habit journal to set goals for the year ahead – to complete the LA marathon in under 4 hours and to learn how to ride a road bike (so I can do a triathlon at some point!)’
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