It’s great to be enthusiastic about Christmas, but it is not fun when it takes over your life. It can be a wonderful time when family and friends come together and delicious food is enjoyed with those you love.  There are ways to ensure that the inevitable overindulging doesn’t result in guilt and while it is important to enjoy the food and time, it is just as important to find some balance!

Decide for yourself, what is important to you at this time.  Is it the decorating, the cooking, the gifts or just seeing friends and family? If it’s not that important to you, don’t stress about it, do your best and move on to do something you really love to do.

Learn to delegate.  Everything does not have to be perfect, by involving everyone in the family your Christmas can be really fun. Share the cooking, the setting of the table, wrapping the gifts, try to bring back the warmth that Christmas has traditionally been.

We would never suggest you do not have a little indulgence over Christmas, and the ensuing few days after too!  But by switching out some sugar free items for the sugar laden foods normally eaten, you can lower your sugar intake without any fuss at all! 

You could make the decision to make all the desserts sugar free this year.  You then know that you can enjoy yourself freely and not have to watch what you are eating for dessert without overloading on sugar.

• Get your digestion off to a roaring start by having a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon juice first thing in the morning, and first thing in the morning on Boxing Day!  Lemon provides natural alkalinity to balance stomach acids. These acids encourage your body to process the nutrients in food more slowly, resulting in your insulin levels remaining steady and you getting more of the goodness from the food you consume. Better nutrient also absorption means less bloating. 
• Eat a protein rich, healthy breakfast, to get you through to your lunch without snacking.
• Make up a pitcher of our delicious sugar free cordial for the Christmas table at lunch.  Add some mint, a slice of fruit and an umbrella to make a fun drink for everyone, not only the kids.  Not only will they love it, there is no blood sugar spike, that you get from sodas and even store bought juice!
• Make a Sugar Free Christmas pudding or Sugar Free Christmas Cake.  You can then have a serve with custard or cream and know you haven’t just overloaded with sugar.
• Our sugar free Mini Trifles are great to have on Boxing Day because it’s such an easy one to throw together, and still feels a bit fancy.  Make the Orange Tea Cake a few days before and keep it in the fridge or it can even be frozen.
• Bear in mind, you may have a few days of overindulging as different family gatherings happen and friends get together in the days after Christmas, so take is easy and pace yourself with the food and drink.  Take some exercise daily, even if it is just a long slow walk after your main meal of the day.  It all helps.
• Make some sugar free edible gifts, like Fig & Cashew Energy Balls, or Super Fudge, maybe some Rocky Road, to take to friends’ homes, they are such a treat and everyone can enjoy the benefits.
• At the end of your festive and frantic day, take 5 minutes for yourself and meditate.  Deep breathing and a little quiet is a great way to find a little balance. 

Christmas can be so enjoyable when you find your balance and are comfortable with it.

Don’t forget to have a look at Carolyn’s Sugar Free Baking cookbook – so many recipes for any time of the year and some great Christmas recipes, and it makes a great Christmas gift for the cook in your family!

Beautiful image by Did Miam on Unsplash