Get ahead of your health this festive season

Whether you live in a warm or cold climate, December is often a time when your health takes a back seat. That said, we know that implementing a few new healthy habits now is a great way to indulge in classic festive traditions without compromising your health. 

Research shows it can take anywhere from 8 to 254 days to form a new habit.¹ So, it’s important to start early when developing new habits that will see you through the coming festive period.

Try forming these key habits now to get ahead of your health in time for the festive season:

Plan ahead

Ahead of the busy festive period, make use of quieter November days by batch cooking and freezing delicious, healthy meals to eat in December. Not only will this make it easier to have nutritious meals on hand to grab when you need them, future-you will thank you for giving yourself one less thing to think about during that busy month.

Alternatively, stock your cupboard full of on-the-go, calorie-controlled options, like our Shakes, ready to grab when you need a quick meal or nutrient boost but don’t have time to cook.

Additionally, start making notes in your calendar of upcoming events so you can plan fasting and non-fasting days around festive plans. Making sure fasting days fall on days when you don’t have plans will make it easier to stick to this kind of eating pattern.

Form an exercise routine now

Make exercise and physical movement a part of your everyday routine now so it comes naturally by the time December rolls around. Whether you decide to go for a walk after work everyday, join a new Pilates class, or simply make use of at-home exercise videos like the ones on our Programme, all movement is good movement. 

If you don’t feel like you have the time to dedicate to longer workouts, try ‘exercise snacking’ where you fit shorter, regular exercises more frequently into your routine. Or, even more easily, ensure to incorporate ‘incidental’ exercise into your days where you can. Examples of this include taking the stairs rather than the lift, getting off the bus one stop early and walking the rest of the way, or even doing squats while you brush your teeth!

Give mindfulness a try

The practice of mindfulness has been shown to improve mental and physical health. It’s proven to help reduce stress, improve sleep, reduce alcohol intake and even result in weight loss, all of which can be crucial to maintaining good health during the festive period.²

Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present and aware of the current moment, without concerning yourself with worries or thoughts about the past or future. Getting to grips with mindfulness now, and forming a habit of practising it even for a couple of minutes everyday, will put you in the best stead for having a reduced stress Christmas, as well as helping you maintain your health goals. 

Our Programme has a collection of mindfulness tools, including guided meditations and more information on its benefits. 

By making a start on forming new habits in November, you’ll be well on your way to having an effortless new routine that supports your physical and mental health by December. Planning meals ahead, getting more exercise and practising mindfulness will all help limit the negative effects that the festive period can have on your health.

No more waiting for New Year for a new health kick, it’s time to get going now! Try our range of Shakes here, or sign up for your 7-day free trial of our Programme here.