I did a similar post for Diwali, and this time it’s for Christmas, New Years and the big bad weddings. This year is a hiatus of sorts for me from weddings. No one close enough to me is getting married so I don’t need to attend any this December, which is a good thing so I can sit back and enjoy the holiday season like I should. I can also take out time and write for my blog and look back at the last few dangerous Decembers and share my views on how to get to the other side looking fab and feeling fit!

Here are some thoughts:

1) Primalize your recipes. When I’m feeling Christmassy I do need some treats that will get me through it without feeling like I’m missing out. I can’t pass up on Christmas cake and puddings or eggnog. So what do I do? I go to Google and search for primal recipes for the same. For example, here’s a primal eggnog recipe I can live with. And here’s a link that has some nice albeit unconventional holiday goodies. I found a lovely champagne soufflé recipe recently, which contains egg, champagne, cream and sugar. I’m going to try and make it primal by reducing the sweetness by adding honey and adding nutmeg for the Christmas flavour. I’ll let you know how it goes. But you get the drift. Change it, use almond meal instead of flour, substitute sugar with healthier options and just enjoy the goodies. Robb Wolf did a festive recipe contest and here are some, which you may want to try.2)   Buffer the buffet. Add a buffer before you attack the buffet. Eat as many of the salads in the appetizer part of the buffet when you’re hungry and go at the remaining once you’re moderately full. This will stop you from trying out everything on the buffet menu. When you go further up the buffet counter just pick the things that you can eat and leave what you should avoid. Pick the chicken, mutton, fish and veggies and leave out the bread. It’s not hard but try it once and see how you like it. Check out my post on how to lose weight by eating out a lot. The last wedding buffet I went to had pears poached in red wine with aragula, a shrimp salad, a chicken tikka salad and an egg salad. I didn’t need to even browse the remainder of the buffet after that.

3)   Have a cozy get together: That way you can control the menu and maintain that you and your guests are eating real food. There are tons of primal snacks you can make for your party like vegetable chips with dips, chicken wings, tandoori chicken or kebabs. For main course you can try something unconventional like chicken biryani with cauliflower rice (read till end of recipe). Of course this recipe needs to be re done adding Indian flavours and spices but otherwise it’s a great primal substitute for rice.

4)   Don’t have unrealistic goals: If you’re looking to lose weight or start a new fitness routine, wait until after the madness dies down. Don’t worry about it right now and just focus on trying to stay your same weight. Continue with your current levels of exercise and make sure you try and eat clean real food 80% of the time. A slight amount of weight gain or a feeling of bloating is almost normal around this season. I can vouch for that.

5)   Pick your indulgences: Remember all you need is to be good 80% of the time so choose the times you really want to let go. It could be a single night in the week where you just don’t want to think about the unhealthy poison you’re putting in. Or it could be a certain something that you will eat anyway. It could be that you decide you’ll eat clean but enjoy the alcohol in the process. Whatever it is, plan ahead and dive in with POA.

6)   Don’t stress: Say no. You do not have to go to each and every wedding or party you are invited too. Having too many social obligations adds to stress which in turn adds to bloating and weight gain. If you, like me are the kind for whom going out for too many nights consecutively itself adds to stress, then you may want to learn how to say no. You and you alone are responsible for your own mental and physical health so don’t let diplomacy and peer pressure get in the way of spending a blissful night on you own at home curled up with a book, music and primal eggnog. (I know some of you are probably visualizing me right now).

7)   Exercise:Late nights or wedding invitations may come in the way of early morning or evening workouts. But nothing stops you from running up the stairs, doing Tabata sprints at home, or just plain old walking. Nothing beats stress and guilt like a good workout can, so don’t ignore it.

Which reminds me, I’m off for my walk, this lovely evening, to talk, vent, and to get me in an upbeat mood for the wedding I ‘have to’ attend today.

See you on the other side. Drop me a line to let me know if you have any more ways to beat this madness. Thanks for reading! Merry Christmas!