Yes, it is the time of year for work Xmas functions, the annual catching up with friends, relaxing BBQ get togethers and a whole lot of temptation. The supermarket aisles are groaning with treats and festive goodies, and food advertising is hitting your mailbox and social media every day.

How can you possibly avoid packing on a kilo or two over the next six weeks?

• Stop and think before you put that item in your trolley. Who are you buying it for? Just in case visitors come? To put under the tree (for whom?) If YOU don’t want to eat it, don’t buy random treats. If you are buying it for someone else, wrap it up immediately so you won’t be tempted.

•  If you have a couple of Xmas functions coming up, it doesn’t have to be a disaster. Eat well on the other days and just look at it as a meal off, not a day off or a week off. It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing scenario.

•  If you are invited to a social gathering, offer to make a big salad, or a fresh fruit platter. BBQ’s are pretty easy with a protein option plus salad. Pass on the potato or rice/couscous salads and heap your plate with lower carb veggies.

•  Nibbles and drinks spell danger! Consider this - If you were to have say two decent sized glasses of wine, plus free range at the nibbles platter, then dinner followed by dessert or treats, that could easily equal three or four standard dinner meals. You might get away with that once a week if the rest of your week is ‘clean’ and you are exercising regularly, but do that nightly on your camping trip and your waistband may feel snug pretty quickly.

•  Don’t forget to make exercise happen. It is the lightest time of the year right now, so a good plan is to get up, get your exercise done and then you don’t have to think about it again for the rest of the day. Exercise is a big part of a healthy lifestyle and it gives your body a boost to increase calorie burn.

•  Alcohol can slow your fat loss metabolically, never mind affect your best intentions when it comes to food choices, so moderation is key, with a few alcohol free days per week.

•  Don't let other people persuade you to have that extra drink or another treat when you had decided not to. Don't eat or drink something you don't want to, to please someone else.

The three P's

When it comes to long term weight maintenance, I see the Three P’s sliding in to spoil best intentions. If your weight loss has come to a standstill, it is very likely that one or more of these P’s has crept in.

Planning – lack of planning never ends well. You don’t have to prepare exotic meals that take a lot of time to prepare and cook. Summer is the best time of the year to eat simply. Big salads, slaws, BBQ’d veggies and a simple protein choice. Strawberries and Greek yoghurt for a simple dessert. Plan your meals, plan your grocery shopping, plan who is cooking what, when.

Portions – Sure, you might be eating the right food, but if your portions are growing, so might you be! Go back and measure your portions again for a couple of days.

Picking – who doesn’t indulge in a bit of picking between meals! But, every pick adds calories to your day and if your fat loss has ground to a halt, keep an honest diary, recording everything and see if you can spot the problem.

Xmas Break

It seems early to even be thinking about a Xmas break, but the weeks are moving along so quickly.

My last day of work for this year will be Thursday 21 December and my first day back in the new year will be Thursday 11 January. My hours next year will remain the same, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings from 9am-1pm and working with online clients on Wednesday mornings.

I’d like to wish you a safe, healthy and happy holiday period and look forward to catching up with you next year.

Lynda