Surviving the Christmas Buffet.

Just because it’s the season of goodwill, it doesn’t have to be the season of expanding girth – here are our top tips for surviving the Christmas Buffet…

Survey the battlefield
Peruse the buffet before you load your plate to avoid foods you don’t reallywant. By picking the stuff you really want and having it in moderation, you’ll stave off those cravings that can get you in trouble later on.

Avoid banking calories
Cutting back all day so you can indulge at an event that night only sets you up for a pig-out. If you’re hungry then you’re more likely to get out of control when faced with high-calorie choices. Ensure you are eating normal, balanced meals with plenty of fruit & veg.

Eat and Chew slowly
Eating slowly may not be easy with a seemingly endless table of options before you, but it pays off to pace yourself as the research links faster eating with wider waistbands. Since it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to get messages from your stomach, it’s best to go for a dance or chat with friends before filling your plate a second time.

Downsize
Plate sizes have expanded significantly over the years. Whenever possible, choose the smaller salad plate (8-10 inches) instead of a tray-like one (12 inches or more). Using smaller plates can actually make us feel fuller with less food. The brain associates a big white space on the plate with less food (and smaller plates generally require smaller portions).

Don’t swear off desserts
But practice the three-bite rule to keep your sweet tooth in check: after the first few mouthfuls your taste buds have become desensitised to a specific taste anyway, so three bite-sized portions will be enough to get the full flavour effect but without it ruining your waistline. Still want more after a couple of bites? Research shows that distracting yourself with just about any activity (dancing, chatting, etc.) can reduce the intensity of food cravings.

Turn your back on temptation.
The closer we are situated to food that’s in our line of vision, the more we’ll actually consume. A simple fix? Don’t hang around the buffet table and listen to cues from your gut rather than your eyes.

Beware of booze
Not only does alcohol add unnecessary calories to your diet, but can make us lose our inhibitions around food and start eating irresponsibly. Reach for a tall, thin glass, not a short squat one: Research shows people pour less liquid into tall glasses than into their vertically challenged counterparts. With a taller glass, you’re likely to down less in one sitting – with the added benefit that there’s less chance of a ‘forehead-slap’ moment of embarrassment when you wake up the next morning thinking, “OMG! I didn’t! … Did I….?”

Gift Vouchers.

Gift vouchers are available for any of the services that we provide here at Body 2 Fit.

6-week block of pilates sessions (including Beginners) – £48
45-minute 1-to-1 pilates sessions – £60
6-week block of yoga classes – £48

Or we can offer monetary gift vouchers to any value that you wish.

Give the gift of Health this Christmas

A Personal Message

We want to send you all our heartfelt thanks for your support during this year.

To fully show our appreciation, we’ve been hard at work in the full spirit of Strictly Come Dancing to bring you our very own message of thanks for the Christmas season.  Can you spot your physio here? Enjoy!