My fork glided through the creamy top layer of the cheesecake followed by that clinking sound it hitting the plate as it breaks through the crumbly base.
That gorgeous smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the kitchen.
Toblerone cheesecake and coffee for breakfast, oh it must be Christmas!
Sure, I could lie and tell you that I had organic smoked salmon, poached eggs and wilted spinach for breakfast!
But no.
St Stephen Day’s breakfast was bold, sinful and delicious, and I enjoyed every mouthful.
Yes I indulged at Christmas.
Yes I enjoyed it.
No I don’t feel guilty about it!
I ate what I wanted, when I wanted and didn’t bother me in the slightest
It was a chat I had with 2 of the girls here last week that set me thinking.
We were discussing how we all look forward to Christmas for so long; we enjoy it at the time but then are racked with guilt for weeks on end afterwards.
I have learned to give myself a week at Christmas, accepting that it is what it is, and then I know it’s just a matter of getting back on track and refocusing on the fundamentals again.
Use these 5 tips below to get you refocused and back on track this New Year:
1️⃣ – Are You Eating Enough?
It’s tempting to start the new year by drastically slashing your calories but this is a big mistake from both a mental and physical point of view.
Sure, you will need to cut calories to drop Ibs but going from a feast to a famine will be too much on your system.
By eating too little, and by dropping calories TOO low, we slow down our metabolism and make it more of a challenge to drop Ibs.
We need to create a calories deficit without going too low.
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2️⃣ – Have You Cleared Out The House?
It took 3 of us giving a Herculean effort one day at Christmas to close the fridge door it was that wedged with food!
Granted one shelf was dedicated solely to Daddy Cheesecake but the volume of food in our houses at Christmas can be daft.
To start of the year on the right food I’d recommend getting ruthless and doing a clear out or what’s needed and what needs to go.
Gather up the biscuits, chocolates and any other tempting crap and either donate it or dump it.
Temptation needs to be gone
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3️⃣ – Are You Starting With Small Steps?
This is the very question I asked a friend over the weekend when we chatted on the phone.
She was telling me her new workout plan, how she was changing her food and asked had I any tips for her.
I simple told her I wanted her to start small.
It’s so easy to get enthused this time of the year and to dive in head first.
How about instead of workout out 7 days a weeks, becoming a vegan and converting to Buddhism we just start with some small steps.
No need to go mad and change everything.
I ended the chat by telling her to do 15min workouts twice a week, 2 half hour walks during the week and just record her food for a fortnight.
Nice small achievable goals that we will re-assess in a 2 weeks but still good enough to build up some early success and build momentum
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4️⃣ – Is Your Protein High Enough?
Looking for a simple nutrition change that will give you the most bang for your buck?
Just increase your protein.
Most people I chat to really lack an adequate intake of protein.
If some of your goals in life involve toning up, dropping Ibs and keeping hunger at bay well then protein is your new found friend!
4 servings a day is a good starting point (1 serving size is approx the size of your palm)
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5️⃣ – Are You Trying To Do It Alone?
Dancing, sex and riding a bike are usually more enjoyable when someone else is with you!
Exercise can be the same.
Training or working out by yourself demands a lot more discipline and is simple less enjoyable too.
Find yourself a buddy to run/walk with, join a classes or a team or perhaps seek some form of accountability group to help you stay motivated on those days when its tougher going.
Don’t go at it alone.
If you feel that a class or group training option might be your thing please feel free to pop along for a free trial week here by simply clickinghttps://unlimitedfitnessireland.wufoo.com/f…/m69r5k2134oa9x/