Christmas for many is the time to eat, drink and snooze your way into a festive, happy daze, surrounded by party games, yet more food, and loved ones. For those of us who typically like to enjoy the festivities with a glass of bubbly in hand and a bowl of nibbles nearby, sticking to your healthy eating regime seems impossible. How on earth can you enjoy Christmas without the pigs in blankets, Christmas pud and celebratory fizz? You could always opt for the brutal choice and cut everything out completely, so you essentially won’t get even a slight taste of what you’re missing, or, you could make the right choices 90% of the time, leaving you with room for the odd treat of two. After all, if you can’t let your hair down at Christmas, even for the sake of one single mince pie, then when can you? The build up to Christmas In the days leading up to Christmas you will have all sorts of social events thrown your way, most of which will involve festive food and drinks. It’s these events that have the potential to lead you down a very slippery slope. Your best options are to shop only for the things your actually need to avoid letting any Christmassy cakes slip into your basket, spend a couple of hours preparing your food for the week to avoid eating out or ordering food in, and last but not least, say no to the things that you don’t really want (or need). It’s extremely easy to inhale a sausage roll or sip your way through an entire mulled wine – just because they were in front of you. And don’t forget those workouts! Now is the time to hit the weights and the treadmill. Christmas Eve It’s not over yet! Christmas Eve is an exciting day, particularly if you have children running around awaiting Santa’s annual debut, so staying true to form is vital. With two food-fest days ahead of you, why let it go early? You’ll appreciate the treats ten times more if you wait that extra day. Providing you’re not spending your entire day darting around the shopping centre for those last minute gifts, getting in a quick pre-Christmas workout is a great idea. Go on, earn those roasties! Christmas Day Finally, Christmas day has arrived. Traditional breakfasts vary from family to family, but you can enjoy something yummy and healthy, such as poached eggs and salmon. When it comes to lunch, you can’t really avoid the goods. Treat yourself to a couple of potatoes, but filling up on a plate full of meat and veggies is your best bet. Dessert? Unless you’ve got a healthy recipe which the whole family will love, you’re probably best to stick to something considered a treat, just be sure to have less of it (and no, half a tub of brandy butter isn’t what we're suggesting). If you opt for a buffet style dinner go for the meats and the vegetables once again, perhaps with a healthy dip, taking less of the savoury and sweet treats that you know will push your over board. When it comes to drinks, treat yourself to your favourite beverage, but then stick to water or a healthier option of the classics, such as vodka soda, gin and slimline tonic, or a Bloody Mary. Alcohol is packed with calories as we know, but there are better options out there which are just as delicious. Boxing Day Uh oh, here come the left overs! As much as you might want ten stuffing balls and mountains of profiteroles, it’s likely that if you’ve been following your healthy eating regime for a while you will not only regret the quantity of food you’ve consumed, but your body will struggle to manage it all. Sticking to what you know if the best option, with the odd treat snuck in for good measure, is the way to go about Boxing Day. After all, you no doubt ate enough yesterday to knock every lurking craving on the head! The build up to New Year This is where it gets dangerous, now you’ve had the taste for the food that you’ve avoided for so long, you want more, and more, and more. The day after Boxing Day is where it needs to end. Grab your gym equipment, get back on track with your eating and get ahead of the January “New Year, new me” enthusiasts. Now is your time to hop back on the wagon, particularly with the New Year celebrations approaching! Divide the left over goodies between your friends and family, and get rid. No one needs that as a temptation when they’re trying to smash their goals. New Year’s Eve The celebrations just do not end, do they? If you make arrangements for New Year, you’ll most likely be tempted by the alcoholic beverages and ‘snacky food’ at whichever party or event you choose to attend. By this point, you’ve got it under control. You know what drinks to go for, and you know what food to stay away from. See in the New Year with how you want the twelve months of 2017 to go; healthy, disciplined and rewarding! And as for the New Year’s Day fry up to cure any sign of a hangover, don’t even think about it. Get up, drink water, get some fresh air and get yourself into the right frame of mind for the challenges ahead. When you train and eat for success, the results will arrive quicker than you can say “egg nog”.