Don't call me Scrooge!

Oh Christmas how I love you. And hate you.

I can feel my jeans tightening at the mere thought of it. The chocolates, the alcohol, the mince pies, the roast dinner, the biscuits, the leftovers. THE LEFTOVERS.

I’ve done really well over the last few months. I’ve become stronger, I’ve lost weight, I feel great in my skin! I’m almost back in my size 10 jeans and after so long of being a solid 12 I thought that was just a pipe dream!

Normally Christmas will then come along and dump all over my willpower and motivation. EVERY SODDING YEAR. I do only have myself to blame. Keeping your good habits at this time of year can be extremely challenging.

I work in the Film Industry so December can be lethal. Lunches followed by parties, followed by other Christmas events tend to rack up. Not to mention when everyone gets in a big panic about having to see everyone they know for drinks/dinner before Christmas, because if they don’t then the world will explode.

Eating follows drinking, follows more drinking. So I start to wonder why I bothered trying to discipline myself and just accept walking around bloated with my jeans undone. However, this year I’m super determined. The size 10 jeans are in my reach and if I'm brutally honest, vanity is a motivator for me as well as my health.

As a means of keeping myself sane I sat down last month and counted at least 8 different events from the end of November through to the end of December where excess - be it drinking or eating - is likely. Am I sounding a bit obsessed? Well, there's a back story to this... At the end of October this year Hannah had a small Halloween gathering. Hannah got a bit too excited. Hannah drank too much and suffered greatly for it the next day. It was the mother of all hangovers and I felt so low in the days following it I didn't drink between Oct 29th and November 30th. It wasn't easy once the hangover shame had left me, but as time went on it became easier and easier.

I have only recently passed my driving test so not drinking meant that I could drive more which I really enjoy. I also found that my cravings for junk food really went down. In the wake of a hangover I want alllllll the food which just gets me into bad habits. I felt so much better about myself and about life. So having had November off, I felt that in order to stay in control of my willpower, I needed to cut myself a little slack in December, but plan the days I would allow myself a drink or two to keep the balance. I'm such a super nerd I even made a spreadsheet.

Now you’re probably thinking doesn’t she have any self-discipline?? I have some. But when faced with people saying “oh go on, don’t be boring” or “it’s Christmas, treat yourself” it’s very hard to stand firm, especially if they are your clients who it is your job to entertain and mix with socially.

Don’t get me wrong, I also love Christmas, but working in a world where socializing is so big, putting your health first is tough.

This year I am trying to remember that a few bad meals or a few bad days does not ruin a healthy diet. Giving up does.

With that in mind, these are are the rules I am going to (try to) follow this year:

- Accept that you will have a few occasions where a drink or two or a rich meal is going to be an inevitability. Allow yourself to enjoy it. Maybe just don't allow yourself fourths of your roast, or have a couple of drinks but no dessert/starter when you go out.

-Try to counter-balance the bad days with slightly better ones, where you don't eat such huge meals, or eat so badly, to attempt to combat that bloated feeling.

- Get yourself off the sofa and outside - a run or even just a half hour walk will blow the cobwebs away, wake you up, and make you feel far more human, especially during these short winter days. Yoga is also amazing for your digestion, but if you aren't already a practicing yogi, maybe go to a class before you decide to do some super stretches.

- Drink mint tea! It is also awesome for your digestion and really does wonders for a bloated or unsettled stomach.

- Stay hydrated - too much booze and central heating leaves you crazy dehydrated and headaches are all you need on top of that booze/sugar hangover.

So without any more ado, I wish you all a very merry Christmas, a happy new year, and the best of luck with your willpower. God knows I need all the luck I can get. :P xx