Feast Without Regret: 7 Hacks to Maximise Christmas Joy and Minimise Overindulgence
Celebrate Christmas Without Sacrificing Your Well-Being
Christmas is for resting, feasting, and indulging—but does it have to come with over-consumption & regret? Here are some strategies to enjoy the season fully without derailing your goals.
If you’re reading this, you’ve already identified that there’s a chance food or alcohol might get the better of you this Christmas. Good work on deciding to grab the reins before you fall off the wagon.
Here are a few strategies to keep front of mind as you soak in the Christmas cheer, ensuring you don’t wake up on January 1st with an extra chin and a head full of guilt.
1. Pick the days to let your hair down
Christmas is a sacred time for friends and family to gather and relax while everyone takes a break from their fast-paced lives. You absolutely should allow yourself to relax on your diet and alcohol consumption (unless alcohol is something you struggle with or rely on).
A good diet is great for the body and mind, but an annual ceremonial feast with loved ones is good for the soul. The key is to welcome these pleasure-packed foods and drinks on your own terms.
By selecting specific days to indulge in treats that typically fall outside your diet, you can stay intentional, remain on track with your long-term goals, and still savor those cherished traditions guilt-free.
For me, the 22nd, 24th, and 25th are family-focused days where I indulge in things I haven’t had since last Christmas. But come Boxing Day, I will return to my usual nutrition standards.
2. Know that the social pressure isn’t serious
Prepare for those around you to push you toward that extra glass of wine or final slice of home-made cheese cake. It’s well-intentioned—they associate more with better and indulgence with celebration.
But stick to your guns. Endure the light-hearted teasing about being dull or not enjoying yourself. Deep down, they respect your determination.
Honour your expectations, and you’ll thank yourself later.
3. Start later than the rest
Once you open the door to sugar and alcohol, your brain gets hijacked by your impulsive side, which can’t be trusted to act in your best interest—especially with alcohol, where decision-making is impaired.
Therefore setting a limit, cut-off time or simply trying to ‘stay strong’ may not be enough to ensure you stick to your plan. Especially with the offering of unexpected treats, and well-intentioned family members topping up your drink.
To guarantee a couple of hours of good decisions, skip the first few rounds of Prosecco or chocolates and join in later at a time you’ve pre-agreed with yourself, guilt-free.
This way, the clock is also on your side. Bedtime will arrive before you have time to convince yourself that Bounty bars aren’t actually that bad—despite being ignored all night until they’re the only option left in the tin.
4. Front-load your day with protein
On days when you’re allowing yourself to indulge, make sure to eat high-protein, whole foods before the biscuits make an appearance.
Starting with eggs, meat, or a protein shake will ensure you feel full for the first part of the day and blunt your attraction to that tempting array of sweet treats.
5. The 10-Minute Rule
There seems to be an offer for snacks or a fresh drink every half hour at Christmas, providing plenty of opportunities for your inner glutton to win.
“Oh, go on then” is often at the tip of your tongue, ready to pounce when asked, “Do you want one of these?”
Instead, keep “I’ll take one later” at the front of your mind and give yourself 10 minutes to decide.
Often, your sweet-toothed chimp brain will calm down, and your more sensible side will remember the agreement you made with yourself.
The 10-Minute Rule comes from another essay I wrote about building unbreakable willpower—you can read that here.
6. Fell off the wagon? Carry on as planned
If there’s a day where you get distracted trying to beat your siblings at every Christmas game, and end up over-consuming because you totally forgot about the agreement with yourself, don’t sweat it - Maybe your soul needed it.
One bad day is still better than three bad days. Saying, “Sod it, I might as well write off the whole week,” is the wrong path if your goal is to enjoy this sacred time while staying proud of yourself.
Each day is a fresh start. Execute your plan as if you never slipped up.
7. For the ultra-disciplined: Give yourself a break
For those of you who are already super disciplined and don’t plan to indulge at all—I encourage you to reconsider.
Christmas is a sacred time to be present with your family, and that may include a ceremonial glass of Bucks Fizz. Allow yourself to feed your soul and make your family smile as they see you enjoying the festive pleasures they love too.
You’re more likely to be content on your deathbed knowing you were 99% disciplined but spent 1% enjoying life’s pleasures with those you love than being 100% disciplined and missing out on that last beer with your Dad.
Set personal boundaries that allow you to enjoy the moment without future guilt, and remember to put your feet up and relax.
Merry Christmas!
Henry
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