5 Ways To Navigate Post-Festive Nutrition

January can be overwhelming for a myriad of reasons. It’s dark, it’s cold, and you’re bombarded with messages everywhere about food and exercise. In December there was an abundance of online content centred on ‘staying on track’ and ‘beating the Christmas bloat’. Now it’s January and the internet is awash with crazy fitness and nutrition plans. But don’t worry, you’re not going to get any of that from us. However, for those that prioritise their nutrition and training throughout the year, the holidays and the many associated meals and social outings may have thrown a curveball or few. 

Here, we aim to redefine the narrative surrounding exercise and nutrition post-festive season. Rather than succumbing to the all-too-familiar ‘go hard or go home’ messaging, we explore practical strategies and a compassionate approach to help you ease into the new year.

We’ve spoken with the team of Nutritionists at personalised nutrition company and MLA partner, Fresh Fitness Food, to share their top tips on continuing to work towards your health and fitness goals post-holidays.

1. Plan Like A Pro

Have a look at your diary and plan your nutrition and workouts around your schedule. Meal prepping is a great tool to have at the ready in January, and can save you a lot of time during the back-to-routine busy period. Schedule time in your diary for meal prep the same way you’d schedule a meeting or a workout. If it’s a struggle to find time to prep, a 5 day FFF plan (MLA approved!) is your best friend.

Have your staples in the cupboards to make breakfasts and lunches easier. You can’t go wrong when you have foods such as oats, nuts, fruit, vegetables, meat and eggs (or plant alternatives) on hand to make up a quick meal. Overnight oats are always a quick, healthy and convenient breakfast to whip up - this apple crumble overnight oats recipe is very fitting for the cold mornings!

2. Don’t Skip Meals

Don’t intentionally skip meals to make up for anything you feel like you’ve over consumed over the holidays. Regular meals not only promote regular digestive patterns, they maintain our blood sugar and energy levels. 

Ensure you are consuming a combination of protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates at each meal. You’ll feel both satisfied and fuller for longer, as well as getting a good dose of essential vitamins and fibre. An easy balanced breakfast or lunch option is scrambled eggs on toast with avocado - a perfect balance of your macronutrients and vitamins. 

It’s easy to opt for things we ‘should’ eat, but make sure you’re eating meals that you enjoy. If you deprive yourself of foods that you really like, chances are you’ll continue to eat beyond the point of feeling full because you’re not satisfied.

3. Move It, Move It

Exercise routines may have been thrown off course in December, with gym hours reduced, and visits to family & friends in different parts of the country.

Now January is here, the key is to build or maintain the activity that your schedule can handle. If you cannot make it to a gym because work is full-on, introduce some flexibility into your programme and try something else. Maybe it’s a 30-minute bodyweight AMRAP in the garden or local park. Or perhaps it’s a long walk whilst on a call. 

The mindset of ‘exercise = calories burned’ isn’t helpful at any time of year, and even more so when we’re coming off the back of Christmas. Remember that physical activity, time in nature and social activity all lead to improved mood and reduced stress, which does more for your health than a rushed workout you feel you ‘have’ to do. Choose exercises and movements that you enjoy and that you can fit into your days. 

4. Prioritise Those Zzz’s

We all know that sleep is the fundamental pillar of our health and wellbeing. A lack of it leads to increased ghrelin (the hormone which tells us we’re hungry) and reduced leptin (the appetite hormone that tells us we’re full). This can result in eating more than our body needs, all because we didn’t get enough sleep. It can also cause us to crave carbohydrates and sugary foods.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that alcohol is also disruptive to our sleep quality. So there’s a good reason why a lot of people do Dry January! We don’t get sufficient REM sleep (the most restorative sleep phase) when alcohol is in our system, which can lead to grogginess and a lack of focus on waking. Which, again no surprise here, can in turn deter us from making nutritious food choices and opting to do some exercise.

Try to focus on your sleep hygiene (goodbye technology!) and avoid other stimulants such as caffeine later in the day.

5. Hydrate

Hydration is crucial for optimal functioning of every organ in your body. It plays a pivotal role in nutrient absorption, promotes healthy digestion, and sustains good mood, cognition, and energy levels. Neglecting your fluid intake, especially if upping the gym sessions in January, can swiftly result in dehydration, leaving you feeling less than your best.
Kickstart your days by prioritising hydration - drink a pint of water first thing in the morning to set a positive tone for the day. Aim to maintain a steady intake of hydrating beverages such as water and herbal tea throughout the day to ensure your body stays well-nourished and energised.

Simple Action Steps

Sometimes it really is about going back to basics. Taking the above into account, here’s some simple action steps you can take today to ensure you feel happy, healthy and balanced. 

1. Book a meal prep delivery - we can vouch for this! We have a £65 discount on Fresh Fitness Food’s 5-day trial plan, meaning you’ll get 3 meals per day for 5 days, for just £85. We did the maths - that breaks down to less than £6 per meal. We don’t have to tell you how much cheaper that is than a grab & go at your local lunch spot. You’ll also get a free nutrition consultation. Use this unique link to set up your trial, with no further commitment needed. 

2. Look at your diary and schedule in some movement for the coming days, even if it’s a 30 minute walk. It all counts. 

3. Practice disconnecting from your phone as early on in the evening as possible to prime yourself for some good sleep. 

4. Go make some overnight oats so you know you have a nutritious breakfast ready to go in the morning.

5. Relax, enjoy and have some perspective. You won’t look back at sharing food with loved ones and think ‘I wish I hadn’t done that’. 

6. Make sure you incorporate rest. It’s easy to want to go crazy with our workouts in January, but our bodies need more rest and recovery than we think. Give your body the time it needs to rejuvenate itself for 2024’s training schedule. Treat your fitness goals for the year as a marathon not a sprint, and  enjoy the process.

Make sure you incorporate rest. It’s easy to want to go crazy with our workouts in January, but our bodies need more rest and recovery than we think. Give your body the time it needs to rejuvenate itself for 2024’s training schedule. Treat your fitness goals for the year as a marathon not a sprint, and  enjoy the process. Click the link below to check out our 2024 trips!