A lot of us spend most of the year building good “habits” only to see them fall away in the amped up atmosphere of the festive season and feel the need to resort to New Year’s resolutions in January.

So, to combat that, our Docs have put together some basic strategies to help you navigate the perilous fun of December – think of it as Chiro.London’s Guide to Surviving the Silly Season!

1. Start with something green. A green smoothie in the morning is a great way cover your basic nutritional needs (or at least get you well on the way). Investing in a Bullet Blender (or similar) is a convenient way to eat on the go and even prepare the night before. If you can’t get your greens at breakfast, try starting your other meals with a salad. Protein and fibre are the main helpers of keeping the sugar intake and, ultimately, the waistline down. They help to increase the metabolism and turn down the appetite-stimulating hormones.

2. Stay hydrated. This is probably the cheapest, easiest and most often overlooked aspect of supporting your health. It can be difficult to drink enough water when you’re rushing around but aim for two litres per day and carry a water bottle with you so you can keep track of how much you’re drinking. Also try drinking a glass of water in between those Christmas beverages – your body and head will thank you for it!

3. Exercise. The shock of the pace of Christmas is enough to throw your body out of kilter, but then allowing your exercise programme to fall by the wayside on top of this is double trouble! If you don’t have time for your regular routine, try a shortened (10 – 20 min) high intensity workout during the day before heading out for a heavy meal and drinking, as it will shift your metabolism up a gear and may help your body process the rich food and booze more effectively. This could include sprints, exercise bike, air-squats etc. Here are some examples.

4. Get organised! Feeling overwhelmed is very common as everyone gets “busy”, so staying on top of things is even more important this time of year. Investing 30 minutes to sit down and plan your week/month can make a huge  difference in how we enjoy our time celebrating with friends and family.

• Schedule your exercise sessions through to January

• Pre-order your food deliveries

• Christmas shopping done online with a service like Amazon Prime makes it easier to avoid the chaos in the high street

• If you have a busy day planned, pack snacks to avoid the temptation of fast food

• Plan which nights you’ll stay in and have an early night (and don’t stay up late bingeing Netflix!)

5. Get plenty of sleep. We know it can be difficult at this time of year, but did you know sleeping less than five hours will significantly impact on hormones which regulate hunger? Studies have found that tired subjects’ reward centres activated when looking at images of unhealthy foods, making us more likely to eat more bad foods we don’t need!

5. Congratulate yourself on a (great) year. Reflect on the things you’re proud of and the things you’d like to improve. We’re often quick to be hard on ourselves and don’t easily acknowledge our achievements. And yes, it’s ok to reward yourself with a few treats, but many of us deprive ourselves all year round and then go a little too crazy, so just be wary of the justification for that extra piece of cake or glass of wine.

6. Get adjusted. You saw this one coming, didn’t you? Given it can be the most stressful time of the year for many, an adjustment can be extra effective in the holiday season. Consider the stress caused by excessive food, alcohol, financial issues, family issues, screaming children, Christmas holiday deadlines and travel in cramped spaces and what all of this does to your body… if you stick to your care plan or pop a pre-Christmas tune-up into your schedule, your spine and nervous system will benefit greatly from it.

7. Have fun! Christmas is, after all, a time for getting together with your loved  ones, sharing, giving and most of all laughing. Let your hair down, allow yourself to let go of any stresses and don’t deprive yourself (but don’t overdo it!). This has a remarkable effect on your body, allowing it to relax and recover.

We hope you’ve found our suggestions useful and easy enough to implement into your festive season. Enjoy, don’t go too crazy and remember to take a little time out for yourself, too.

Merry Christmas from Chiro.London!