12 Ways To Prepare Your Body For The Festive Season: No Need To Abandon Your Diet!

It’s Christmas time once again and we all know what this means—those nonstop tsibogs in all the Christmas parties and family reunions we’re gonna be attending all throughout the season. Not to mention the Noche Buena feast on Christmas Eve itself we’ve all been craving! We all can’t say no to all that, right? However, what about the diet and exercise we’ve done this year? Are we supposed to say goodbye to that?

Of course, there’s a way! With the season of overindulgence of food and drinks in our midst, the only way we can all get through the Christmas overeating and overdrinking without the consequences is to actually prepare your body for the toxic bombardment it’s going to take. So, how are you exactly going to maintain that weight loss you’ve worked hard for this Christmas season? Let’s count the ways:

On the first rule of Christmas detox: Fiber up!

You’ve probably heard about the miracles of fiber, right? So, why is it so good for your body? Well, in layman, let’s just say that it helps flush out all the bad stuff such as fats, sugar, cholesterol, etc. you’ve been taking. This means that it helps lower cholesterol, blood sugar levels, as well as help maintain a healthy bowel movement; this also means that it can help maintain your current weight even when you eat a little extra this season.

On the second rule of Christmas detox: Veg up!

Balance is the key, dear Padawans! You probably know eating veggies is good for you, right? So why not balance out the “good” (which are the fiber-y, vitamin-y, and mineral-y veggies) and the “bad” (which are the fatty and the sugary foods) by eating both good and bad? This means that if you’re gonna be eating lechon, pair it up with a generous scoop of, say, green salad?

On the third rule of Christmas detox: Choose your poison!

If you can’t help but drink during Christmas parties, family reunions, and/or Noche Buena, might as well choose an alcoholic drink that isn’t fattening. So what is the best alcohol to drink when you’re on a diet? We suggest vodka, rum (if you’re into rum-cola, make the soda the diet variety), and red wine. If beer is your choice of poison, make it a light beer.

On the fourth rule of Christmas detox: Support your liver!

Your liver is definitely going to be working extra hard this Christmas season. What with the fatty and sweet foods and the alcoholic drinks you’re going to be taking in, your liver will definitely feel the strain if you don’t take care of it. A cup of coffee or any kind of tea before and after a fatty meal or drink can really help a lot in keeping your liver in tip-top shape. Grapes, grapefruit, pear, beetroot juice, nuts, fatty fish, and olive oil are also known to promote liver health.

On the fifth rule of Christmas detox: Get enough sleep

You all probably know that not getting enough sleep can be bad for your health. Now imagine not sleeping enough in one of the most tiring seasons of the year. With all the parties and reunions you’ll be attending during the holidays, your body will surely be compromised since you’ll be taking in a lot of fattening foods and drinks. Giving your body enough time to recuperate can actually do a lot for your fitness and health. Getting at least eight hours of sleep every night can help decrease the risk of tons of health conditions and it can help in managing your appetite.

On the sixth rule of Christmas detox: Aloe vera is your friend!

To help your digestive system take that extra food and drinks you’re going to be taking this Christmas season, you will need a shot of aloe vera. This amazing plant is mostly known for soothing burns and such, but it can actually also help in lowering sugar and fat levels in the food you take and it can help improve bowel movement. Not to mention that it’s a great antioxidant and antibacterial.

On the seventh rule of Christmas detox: Healthy fats are the way!

Healthy Christmas eating is also possible! Just pick the right food from the table and you’re actually good. Salmon, chicken, avocado are just some of the food known for their healthy fats. And what are they good for? Well, healthy fats can actually slow the digestion process down, which means that alcohol and fatty foods will take longer to be absorbed by your body.

On the eighth rule of Christmas detox: Herbal tea up!

Herbal teas are probably one of the healthiest drinks out there. They’re not only good for your digestion, but they are also known for fighting colds, boosting the immune system, and lowering blood pressure. Plus, thanks to the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in herbal teas, they’re also great for flushing out toxins from your body.

On the ninth rule of Christmas detox: Water up!

Yes, just drinking lots of water before and after feasts and drinking sessions can actually help maintain your weight this Christmas season. That’s because drinking water helps boost your metabolism, cleanse your body of waste, and acts as an appetite suppressant.

Moreover, drinking more water helps your body stop retaining water, leading you to drop those extra pounds of water weight.

On the tenth rule of Christmas detox: Enjoy a detox massage!

You probably already know that dry body brushing is good for the skin as it helps shed dead skin cells and de-clog pores. But did you know that it is actually also good for detox cleansing? Yup, when you do dry body brushing, it actually helps in improving vascular blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. This means that it aids in releasing toxins from your body and encourages your body to discharge metabolic wastes. So before you fill yourself up with those sumptuous food and intoxicating drinks this season, make sure to detox first via dry body brushing.

On the eleventh rule of Christmas detox: MSPS up!

Aside from your liver, your gut will be in a lot of strain during the holiday season. For your stomach to be able to last through the heavy intake of fatty food and alcoholic drinks during parties, take a good dose of Mixed Strain Probiotic Supplement or MSPS. MSPS is an everyday supplement that is good for your gut health.

On the twelfth rule of Christmas detox: Intensify your exercise!

You’ve been sweating up all year ‘round anyway so why not take it up a notch higher. If you’ve been working out regularly, you know you’re bound to lift a little heavier or run a little longer on the treadmill in the long run, right? So what’s keeping you from doing so? When you intensify your workouts now, you’ll be more than ready to face all the food and booze bound your way this Christmas season.

As you can see, avoiding weight gain during the holidays doesn’t take that much. It’s just a matter of preparing your body for the eventual food and drinks you’ll be taking in this season. And if you just can’t help but gain some weight this season, you have to have a post-holiday weight loss plan. Think of it as a plan B of sorts—a way for you to get that healthy shape back once all the holiday parties are over.

The best thing about these detox diet tips is that you can actually get them done wherever and whenever—yup, even when you’re living in a condo as they don’t require a “special” living arrangement. And for DMCI Homes residents, you can also still go to the gym regularly or do some laps at the pool, thanks to DMCI Homes’ great amenities.