How to Survive Work Christmas Parties

It is that time of year again when there are lots of Christmas parties and client functions where the food is plentiful and the drinks are flowing.

Sticking to a plan that ensures you still look and feel fabulous does get a little harder.

Missed exercise sessions, a couple of extra late nights, and before you know it, you have a foggy brain each morning, a short fuse during stressful or confronting work conversations and an additional few centimetres sitting around your middle.

The impact of the silly season does not have to be detrimental to your productivity, health, energy and performance, but you do need to be strategic with how you manage it.      Click to tweet

Here are some of the suggestions I have given to busy professionals for the last twenty years during this Christmas period. 

Pre-party suggestions:

• Acknowledge that December is what it is. You are likely to be in situations where you will eat and drink more. Try to even this out on other days by eating smaller portions of nutritious food and moving your body more.
• Eat lightly during the day of your party, and whatever you do don’t turn up hungry!
• Drinking a glass of milk or a smoothie before you leave will help you to ‘go easy’ on the buffet table.

During party suggestions:

• 4-5 canapés are equivalent to a main meal when it comes to calories so if you are watching your waistline, be careful with your consumption.
• As easy as it is, don’t be a party grazer. Choose the food for your plate, eat it, and don’t go back for more.
• Be mindful of what type of food and how much you put on your plate. Just because it is there doesn’t mean you have to consume it all. I promise you, you will eat great food again, so don’t think of this as the last supper!
• If you are entertaining at home, serve hummus with vege sticks; oysters, prawns, and smoked salmon; salads, fresh summer fruits and BBQ vegetables; plus lean meats and seafood.
• Drink a glass of water or sparkling water in between every alcoholic drink.

Post-party suggestions:

• Drink at least one big glass of water before you go to bed.
• If you ‘accidently’ have one too many drinks and find yourself feeling a little dusty the next morning, do not use this as an excuse to stay in bed. Get up and go for a gentle walk or swim in the ocean before work. You will feel so much better for doing this.
• When you have overdone things, make sure you compensate over the next couple of days by eating lighter meals and moving your body more.

My last tip for this time of year is to practice differentiating ‘special’ from not-so-special events. You DO NOT have to say yes to everything.

Choose quality over quantity for all your Christmas events, including the food and drinks you consume, and the people you spend your time talking to!!!!      Click to tweet

Remember nothing tastes as good as the feelings of vitality and peak performance ……at work and in life.