5 Christmas Food & Fitness Myths
In her latest article for GLAMOUR, Dr Hazel Wallace breaks down the top five myths about food and fitness around Christmas, based on the most common misconceptions she hears from her patients.
Dr Hazel Wallace is an NHS medical doctor, registered associate nutritionist, and founder of The Food Medic – an educational platform that aims to bridge the gap between traditional medical advice and the latest developments in nutrition.
The festive season is a time for celebration and enjoyment but it can also be a time of stress and anxiety for many people. One common source of concern during the festive season is the potential impact of indulgent eating and reduced physical activity on our fitness and health. This is often fuelled by messaging that encourages you to take measures to counteract that Christmas weight gain or Christmas workouts to “earn” your chocolate. This messaging and many other myths surrounding Christmas eating and fitness can create unnecessary worry and stress – so let’s set them straight.
1. Save calories by skipping meals
It may be tempting to “save” calories by skipping meals or unintentionally under-eating to compensate for a big meal or party later in the day. The issue with this is, skipping meals often leads to increased hunger and cravings, and when it comes to mealtimes, you will be more likely to eat more calories than if you had a healthy balanced meal or snack beforehand. Instead, stick to your regular meals and choose foods that leave you feeling satisfied and energized to enjoy the festive season.
2. A January cleanse or detox is the best way to compensate for Christmas indulgence
Advertisements for cleanses and detoxes hit hard in January and it can be hard to not feel like it’s something you should be doing, right? Wrong. First of all, cleanses and detoxes are nonsense. Unless you are severely unwell the body does a great job of detoxifying itself, using the kidneys, liver, lungs, gut and skin to remove waste and toxins. Most so-called ‘detox diets’ or cleanses’ are restrictive, nutritionally unbalanced and extreme. Not to mention that ‘detox’ teas…
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