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HOPEWOOD HELPS YOU STAY HEALTHY THIS FESTIVE SEASON

The silly season has well and truly arrived!  For most of us work is picking up, invitations to parties are flooding in and there's the inevitable rush to catch up with everyone you know before Christmas Day, so schedules are booking out faster than you can say 'Santa's Helper'.  This time of year usually means increased stress as we move towards the end of the year and attempt to fit in everything we haven't completed on our 'to do' lists for 2009.  Then there are Christmas gifts to think about...

To ensure you make the most of the Christmas period and remain healthy and full of energy and vitality, here are some tips on how to be prepared leading in to the festive season.

 

PRE-CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS 

The lead up to Christmas and especially the mad last minute rush tends to be quite a stressful time so it's important that you do all you can to ensure you're mentally and physically prepared.  Be organised and diarise tasks, even the little ones, so you don't forget anything and avoid the last minute rush.  It also means that you have put enough time aside for everything you need to do.

Try to maintain a healthy diet and continue to exercise in the weeks leading up to Christmas.  Go to bed at a reasonable time to make sure you get sufficient sleep and make time for additional rest and relaxation, even if for only a few minutes a day.  Every morning start the day with a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice with warm water (25% lemon, 75% warm water).  By being well-rested and prepared, you give yourself the best opportunity to breeze through the festive season and actually enjoy it.

 

MAKE THE MOST OF CHRISTMAS DAY

Christmas Day is all about celebrating and spending time with love ones - and food!  Most of us tend to overindulge on the abundance of Christmas fare spread out before us.  Instead of filling up on pre-lunch nibbles and too much champagne or beer, try to save yourself for the delicious lunch ahead.

If you are hosting Christmas lunch, there are a number of healthy receipe options for entertaining such as light dishes and mouth-watering salads (like those found in Hopewood's receipe book hopewood@home) which are perfect for a hot, Christmas Day - your guests will thank you and you will all feel better at the end of the day.  Remember to drink plenty of water, especially if you're consuming alcohol.  Try sipping a glass of mineral water in between each glass of alcohol to ensure you stay hydrated throughout the day.

 

AFTER CHRISTMAS

If you do overindulge over Christmas and New Year and feel that you need to get yourself back on track, make that New Year's resolution of a healthier you count by planning a visit to Hopewood - call us on 02 4773 8401.

 

 Healthy Tips

HOPEWOOD'S GENERAL NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES

Hopewood recommends a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables with complex carbohydrates and some protein.

  • 60%-70% of the diet should be fresh fruit and vegetables.
  • 20-25% should be complex carbohydrates, depending on energy requirements regarding exercise. 
  • 10-15% should be concentrated protein

At the same time Hopewood recommends you generally avoid (among other things) stimulants, fats and oils, refined and processed  foods, dairy products in large amounts, salt and high salt foods, artificial colouring.

TIPS:

  • Chew your food well as this improves digestion and stimulates the bowel.
  • Increase fibre in the diet, especially leafy greens, wholegrains and brown rice.
  • Restrict dressings especially fats and avocado if body fat is a problem.
  • Drink plenty of purified water, juices and herbal teas each day.

Hopewood's gourmet smorgasbord meals follow our dietary principles and receive overwhelming accolades from guests both vegetarian and non vegetarian.  Often received from guests are comments like :

"Excellent! Couldn't rate it highly enough"

As one guest said:

"I credit the staff at Hopewood with giving me the courage and the skills I need to properly lose my excess weight.  After years of fad diets, I finally feel like I know how to lose weight sensibly, and to keep it off."

As Judi Tracey said:

"Excellent choices, flavours and mixed.  Great combination of tastes and presentation made everything inviting.  5 out of 5".