Digging into the turkey, roast potatoes, the Roses and the mince pies is all very well, says dietitian Paula Mee, but if you’ve been working hard all year to get fit or stay in shape do you really want to ruin all that good work in December?

“Christmas is the one time of year most people relax about what they eat and that’s all well and good,” she says, “but when you’ve been working hard for the rest of the year to lose weight or get fitter, you don’t want to completely ruin your progress in the space of one single week.”

She is very much in favour of balance.

“We need to remind ourselves that our mental and physical wellness depends on homeostasis, on balance, in both the food and exercise departments. You are not your weight. You are much more than that. Also exercise may be an important part of your life, but it isn’t your life! Balance around diet and exercise is key.”

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love stayed healthy

Paula has a tip for each day of the Christmas season for how we can stay healthy over the holiday.

  • 1 Skip the guilt. Rather than trying to avoid delicious, warm mince pies, allow yourself to have one or two but also make sure you eat a large plate of vegetables that day, accompanied by a healthy protein, like oily fish, to nourish your body and brain.
  • 2 Stay hydrated. Drink H2O. If you drink too little water over the day you can suffer from headaches and poor concentration. It is also important to increase your water intake when you increase your fibre intake. Keep an insulated water bottle nearby and drink from it at regular intervals.

  • 3 Plan ahead and don’t let your diary get too busy. Remember, if you’re in a good place mentally about your food, health and fitness goals, you’re more likely to carry on and succeed.

  • 4 Don’t buy your Christmas food too early. If you buy it too early, will it last until Christmas?

  • 5 Eat from smaller plates.
  • 6 Put a bit of smacht (sense) on your day and have rules about the food you SHOULD HAVE rather than things you shouldn’t. Loosely shaping your day can always provide a bit of structure. Making wholegrains the rule and processed grains the exception is a good place to start. Begin the day well and you’re off to a gut-friendly start. Ideally, have an oat or quinoa-based breakfast cereal rather than a wheat-based one. Top it with live yoghurt, dried fruit (such as mango, blueberries or raisins) or your favourite chopped fresh fruit.

  • 7 Reduce lunch portions. It might be worth considering reducing your normal lunch portion on days when you know you will be eating more at a big evening event.

  • 8 Dinner itself is healthy. And what’s not to like about Christmas dinner? Turkey is one of the leanest and healthiest meats available. Not only is it high in protein, it’s also a good source of iron and zinc too. It’s what you eat with it and how much you pile on your plate that can tip it over the top to become a sleep-inducing aid.

  • 9 Enjoying a few Christmas treats is part of the holiday magic. But treats can count nutritionally too, from bowls of deliciously juicy vitamin C-rich satsumas to dark chocolate-coated Brazil nuts, packed full of selenium.

  • 10 Dancing at the office party is, of course, a great way to have fun and burn calories at the same time – that’s as long as you’re not drinking them all night! Keep an eye on how many glasses of wine you’ve had with dinner – finish your wine first and then allow your glass to be refilled.

  • 11 Slow down. One of the simple things we can all do is to make a big effort to slow down and eat at a more relaxed pace. Your stomach doesn’t have teeth. Digestion starts in the mouth! It generally takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that your stomach is full but you can hoover up lots of calories in 20 minutes without even noticing. Don’t eat while you’re doing something else like working or cooking. Be fully present and really savour your food.

  • 12 Have a special drink. Order something that looks like a cocktail, like soda water with a splash of cranberry juice and a lime. It looks fancy and it prevents people from pestering you to have a drink.

    • Paula Mee.

    Christmas tips

    Chair of Farm Family and Social Affairs Committee

    “I generally encourage a healthy lifestyle and eating locally grown produce as much as possible. I would also try not to overdo it in the alcohol department – a little rather than too much – and get plenty of exercise and fresh air where possible over the festive season.

    I suppose it’s about not over-indulging on any of the Christmas foodstuffs. Everything in moderation. Dinner is beautiful but you don’t have to overdo it. I’ve noticed that when you get to my stage of life that it’s lovely eating all these Christmassy things but it’s much easier not to eat them than it is to lose the weight afterwards.

    In general, looking after your own mental health is important, so if you are feeling overwhelmed then you should talk to somebody about that.

    Christmas is about looking after yourself and your family as best you can – and keeping an eye out for others too as it can be a lonely time for many people on their own.

    In relation to spending, I think we all have to try not to succumb to advertising pressure at Christmas and not overextend ourselves financially because we’re under pressure by marketing to buy this year’s ‘buzz’ present. I think children can manipulate parents but they should be encouraged to appreciate things rather than be expecting everything. That’s the way it was in my house anyway. I don’t remember my children ever getting the must-have present.

    People shouldn’t let themselves be overwhelmed by the want for something that they can’t get and limits should be set on the number of presents children can get. Our motto always was: ‘You can ask for what you like but Santy decides.’

    President of Macra

    This will be James Healy’s first Christmas as a married man, he says, and he will enjoy a few days’ break over the festive season after a busy year on the road as president of Macra. He is hoping to relax for a few days and enjoy the family time.

    “Given the role I’m in, I spend a lot of time on the road and I don’t have a lot of time to exercise, but when I’m at home over Christmas I’ll be out and about enjoying the break and the fresh air.

    “I wouldn’t be a big drinker so I don’t have to think about avoiding it but I like my food – no point in saying otherwise – but I try to balance it rather than avoiding anything in particular over the Christmas period.”

    James attends many events in his role as Macra president and with the Chistmas season starting earlier each year he says an eye has to be kept on food intake.

    “You’ve to be conscious of going to two events in the day where you could have two dinners put in front of you, so you do have to be vigilant.”

    His motto over Christmas will be to keep active, he says. James does look forward to Christmas, he adds.

    “I do enjoy it because it is an opportunity for the whole family to get together. It probably isn’t quite the same when there are no kids in a house as Santa makes Christmas particularly special but it’s good for all the family to be together.”

    James isn’t a man for making a lot of New Year’s resolutions but it can be a good time to concentrate the mind on being fitter, he says.

    “January is generally a quieter time of year anyway, so it probably lends itself to being healthier.”