Christmas lunches and dinners: how to keep your figure in check?
4 min
Table of contents
Share
The Christmas holidays are a real test, for athletes too. Whether you are a professional or an amateur with more or less interest in performance, the festive season always brings a mix of worry and uncertainty; in terms of organising training but also, and above all, where your eating plan is concerned, this time of year is without a shadow of a doubt full of pitfalls and traps that can affect our fitness for a long time.
For professional athletes it will not be very difficult to organise these three weeks so as to keep to the path set out by coaches and personal trainers, regardless of the succulent traditional dishes. A professional athlete should always be thought of as any other worker, who looks after their body as others would look after their office, their workshop or their tools. In this case there may be a few more hours of celebration and relaxation, but always within a detailed plan free of wild excess.
As always, and as we have pointed out several times, things become considerably more complicated when we talk about amateur athletes, who are more or less interested in their physical condition and sports performance. In this case training is a daily activity that fits in alongside work and, far more importantly in these days, family commitments. Staying balanced is the solution.
While with training we may not face too many obstacles in keeping to our plans and set goals, perhaps by making rest days coincide with holidays or by fitting in light sessions before long dinners and evenings out, special attention should be paid to eating strategies and daily routine.
The necessary premise is that we are talking about athletes who train not only to achieve maximum performance but also to gain the greatest possible physical and mental benefit, perhaps continuing to pursue personal goals despite some slowing down during this period; so we will leave aside the Sunday “athletes” who train only so they can eat more and do not care about performance.
Strategy is the watchword! Without it you risk being at the mercy of every sweet treat left around the house by family and relatives, and falling into the “might as well...” trap: “I might as well, I already slipped up yesterday, I’ll get back on track tomorrow, or after New Year, or maybe once the holidays are over”. The approach just described is undoubtedly the best way to undo all your pre-Christmas effort and have to work for at least another month after the holidays to get back to your previous shape.
Planning your meals throughout the day is very important. Try not to skip meals and snacks, especially in the belief that you are acting “preventively”: arriving ravenous at a laden table is a risk that can be reduced by eating regularly at the preceding meals too, and leaving it instead to the following ones to “balance out” the calories consumed. Skipping a course or reducing portions at the meals after the big ones, if done sensibly, without excessive restriction and always listening to your own feelings of hunger and fullness, can be a good compromise that still lets you enjoy a slice of pandoro and a glass of sparkling wine.
Daily water intake is also important. Especially with meals containing more dressings, salt and spices than usual, drinking plenty is necessary, as well as a good way of countering any unwanted hunger pangs.
Movement must also always be included and planned in the daily routine of days that would otherwise risk being spent entirely between the table and the sofa. Move, always move, even with others, even for just a few minutes, but move. If the weather allows, for example, take the opportunity to spend a few minutes outdoors and go for a walk: 30 minutes twice a day contribute to general activation as well as to the digestion of meals. If, on the other hand, you are one of those people who simply cannot sit still but cannot get to the gym over the holidays, our advice is to introduce short total-body sessions when you do not have enough time for a full workout: 15 minutes at regular intervals during the day, from a minimum of twice up to 4-5 times a day, can be enough to get active and train in cardio-strength mode. You decide whether to use bodyweight or added weights.
One last tip concerns the scales: it is hard to always interpret correctly the numbers we see on the display from day to day, especially when they may be distorted by excessive amounts of salt or refined carbohydrates, foods that contribute to fluid retention. It would therefore be wise to put them aside, or at least read them with a healthy dose of scepticism, and then go back to being guided by them once the holidays are over. You will certainly benefit from it.
What we recommend.
PROMEAL ZONE 40-30-30 is a balanced, healthy and complete snack, before or after a feast. Its macronutrient balance, the presence of high biological value protein as well as medium-chain fatty acids, carnitine and creatine, the absence of hydrogenated fats and gluten (except in the cereal flavours) and its very low lactose content (suitable for those with an intolerance) make it a perfect mix for every need. Available in 26 or 50 g, the bars can be eaten as a small mid-morning snack so you do not arrive hungry at lunchtime, or as a light and complete breakfast after a big dinner.
For professional athletes it will not be very difficult to organise these three weeks so as to keep to the path set out by coaches and personal trainers, regardless of the succulent traditional dishes. A professional athlete should always be thought of as any other worker, who looks after their body as others would look after their office, their workshop or their tools. In this case there may be a few more hours of celebration and relaxation, but always within a detailed plan free of wild excess.
As always, and as we have pointed out several times, things become considerably more complicated when we talk about amateur athletes, who are more or less interested in their physical condition and sports performance. In this case training is a daily activity that fits in alongside work and, far more importantly in these days, family commitments. Staying balanced is the solution.
While with training we may not face too many obstacles in keeping to our plans and set goals, perhaps by making rest days coincide with holidays or by fitting in light sessions before long dinners and evenings out, special attention should be paid to eating strategies and daily routine.
The necessary premise is that we are talking about athletes who train not only to achieve maximum performance but also to gain the greatest possible physical and mental benefit, perhaps continuing to pursue personal goals despite some slowing down during this period; so we will leave aside the Sunday “athletes” who train only so they can eat more and do not care about performance.
Strategy is the watchword! Without it you risk being at the mercy of every sweet treat left around the house by family and relatives, and falling into the “might as well...” trap: “I might as well, I already slipped up yesterday, I’ll get back on track tomorrow, or after New Year, or maybe once the holidays are over”. The approach just described is undoubtedly the best way to undo all your pre-Christmas effort and have to work for at least another month after the holidays to get back to your previous shape.
Planning your meals throughout the day is very important. Try not to skip meals and snacks, especially in the belief that you are acting “preventively”: arriving ravenous at a laden table is a risk that can be reduced by eating regularly at the preceding meals too, and leaving it instead to the following ones to “balance out” the calories consumed. Skipping a course or reducing portions at the meals after the big ones, if done sensibly, without excessive restriction and always listening to your own feelings of hunger and fullness, can be a good compromise that still lets you enjoy a slice of pandoro and a glass of sparkling wine.
Daily water intake is also important. Especially with meals containing more dressings, salt and spices than usual, drinking plenty is necessary, as well as a good way of countering any unwanted hunger pangs.
Movement must also always be included and planned in the daily routine of days that would otherwise risk being spent entirely between the table and the sofa. Move, always move, even with others, even for just a few minutes, but move. If the weather allows, for example, take the opportunity to spend a few minutes outdoors and go for a walk: 30 minutes twice a day contribute to general activation as well as to the digestion of meals. If, on the other hand, you are one of those people who simply cannot sit still but cannot get to the gym over the holidays, our advice is to introduce short total-body sessions when you do not have enough time for a full workout: 15 minutes at regular intervals during the day, from a minimum of twice up to 4-5 times a day, can be enough to get active and train in cardio-strength mode. You decide whether to use bodyweight or added weights.
One last tip concerns the scales: it is hard to always interpret correctly the numbers we see on the display from day to day, especially when they may be distorted by excessive amounts of salt or refined carbohydrates, foods that contribute to fluid retention. It would therefore be wise to put them aside, or at least read them with a healthy dose of scepticism, and then go back to being guided by them once the holidays are over. You will certainly benefit from it.
What we recommend.
PROMEAL ZONE 40-30-30 is a balanced, healthy and complete snack, before or after a feast. Its macronutrient balance, the presence of high biological value protein as well as medium-chain fatty acids, carnitine and creatine, the absence of hydrogenated fats and gluten (except in the cereal flavours) and its very low lactose content (suitable for those with an intolerance) make it a perfect mix for every need. Available in 26 or 50 g, the bars can be eaten as a small mid-morning snack so you do not arrive hungry at lunchtime, or as a light and complete breakfast after a big dinner.
Tags: