Staying well in the silly season

The silly season is here and with weekends packed full of festivities, keeping on track with health goals can feel like an uphill battle.

So, what are some tips for having a healthier holidays, and healthier lifestyle this summer?

Surf Coast based holistic nutritionist Elly McClean said there were simple ways to enjoy the festivities while keeping on track with health goals.

McClean said a common challenge people face in staying well in the silly season was the natural loss of their normal, healthy routine.

“Nutrition is lifestyle, and we all know that if you’re wanting to change your lifestyle you have to make habits around that, we don’t have to think about things like how to brush our teeth,” McClean said.

“So, when someone is trying to learn to eat differently and they’re relying on newly formed habits, as soon as the routine and the triggers around those healthy habits go, then so do the healthy habits. So, when the kids are all at home, or people are over for dinner, or they’re out at all these functions, their routine is out.

“Get on the front foot, acknowledge that your normal Monday to Friday routine is going to be out of whack, and how do you work around that? Do you have a new holiday schedule where you might build in exercise at different times to your norms? Do you have to make different meal choices that better suit your holiday schedule?”

McClean said another challenge many people faced was having more social gatherings and the abundance of food, making portion control, food quality or avoiding sugars more difficult than usual.

“The temptations are there in the holiday season, with break-up parties, family gatherings, Christmas and New Year’s.

“There is just more food and different food to be exposed to, and that’s a real challenge for people.”

“Alcohol is a big derailer… alcohol will displace the carbohydrate burning, it basically disrupts your metabolism for the time that it’s in your system and can really promote fat storage.”

McClean said people can still enjoy themselves in this festive season by a simple change in mindset.

“The joy in this Christmas New Year’s period, it needs to come from more than the food and the alcohol that’s around. Celebrate the people you’re with and what you’re doing and how that makes you feel, rather than looking to the alcohol and the food as the celebration.

“People should appreciate that food is the cherry on top. The season is really about being with people that matter.

“We shouldn’t have to start the New Year with resolutions, but fundamentally set your New Year off on the right foot by not entering it feeling sluggish.”

Torquay-based dietitian Nadia Maxwell said wellbeing began with keeping a healthy mindset, and learning to enjoy food in moderation did not mean micromanaging your food and alcohol intake.

“Food as fuel is wonderful. It literally keeps us alive, and food is so much more than fuel. The festive season is a lovely opportunity to remind us of that,” Maxwell said.

“I like to take a more holistic approach to well-being and consider psychological and social health.

“In fact, I’d say that the ‘silly’ in “silly season” is a great thing. Any opportunity for us to play, have more fun, socialise, connect with loved ones and rest contributes enormously to well-being in my book.”

Maxwell said this season, it was important to remember that food was connection, eating around a table, tradition, with family recipes and festive foods, nostalgia, celebration, sensory input and more.

“Try not to purposefully restrict your food in the lead up to Christmas or events. You’ll only wind up feeling more out of control later on,” Maxwell said.

“It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

“And of course, we might eat past the point of fullness during this period and that is okay. Getting too full sometimes is a normal part of being human.”