The most wonderful time of the year makes for a perfect excuse to forget one’s diet for a while and just savor the moment with family and friends. Many, however, feel bad about digging into those noche buena favorites, keeping them from enjoying Christmas gatherings. 

Garmin, the leading brand of smart wearable devices, lets Filipinos make the most of the holiday celebrations without the guilt. Garmin technology and wearables let users manage their Christmas calories consumption, and reminds everyone to watch their eating habits and pay closer attention to their metabolism to be able to enjoy the holiday feasts and still stay fit and healthy.

A good metabolism has several benefits: It provides more energy for daily activities, elevates the mood, rids the body of waste and toxins, improves blood circulation, and raises immunity. While metabolism naturally slows down as one ages, bad habits such as binge-eating during holidays without physical activities can contribute in quickening its decline, which can in turn lead to irregular bowel movement, obesity and chronic diseases.

In line with its recently launched #HealthIsAChoice #ChooseGarmin health campaign, Garmin shares tips and reminders to help boost one’s metabolism and maintain a healthy lifestyle even while feasting during this Yuletide season.

Avoid skipping meals

When anticipating an event or gathering, people often skip meals, thinking this will help prepare their tummy for the big feast. On the contrary, this is a bad practice that makes the body less efficient at burning calories. It slows down metabolism and makes the body store fat, usually in the hips and thighs, once it has extra calories from the big meal. Instead of starving oneself, eat smaller portions during the day to prevent overeating during the party.

Drink lots of water

Drinks high in sugar are frequently present during celebrations, especially with cafés or stores marketing their holiday offerings. Combat excessive sugar intake by drinking plenty of water, which counters the calories from sugary drinks. Furthermore, drinking water benefits one’s metabolism: Taking in as little as 0.5 liters of water can boost resting metabolism by 10 percent to 30 percent for an hour, according to some studies. Drinking water before a big meal helps one eat less as well.

Go for protein-rich foods

Protein is rich in amino acids, which are easier to break down than fats. Eating foods rich in protein such as eggs, chicken breast, broccoli, lean beef and fish will boost metabolism and even aid in weight loss. To add, workouts can also be helpful to build muscle mass, which in turn helps to increase protein synthesis after training, allowing the body to maintain a better state.

Squeeze in some healthy foods

Foods high in calorie and sugar are the usual staples during Christmas gatherings. The desserts selection alone would make one worry about weight gain. Try adding some healthy items in the Christmas menu. A fruit platter, for example, can be a dessert option. 

Manage stress

The holidays are indeed a magical time, but preparing meals, entertaining guests, shopping and dealing with traffic jams can be very stressful. Too much stress can increase body fat, especially if one turns to stress eating for comfort. Do a calming breathing exercise once a day even for just five minutes to help manage the stress of holiday demands.

Exercise regularly

Adding weight lifting to one’s workout regimen can increase metabolism. Garmin’s smart wearables also feature built-in workouts such as high intensity interval training (HIIT), strength training and building muscle mass widgets to empower users to exercise daily. Having an active lifestyle will not only burn the calories from holiday indulgences but will also aid in protecting oneself against the ongoing health crisis.

Have enough sleep

Food cravings, particularly for unhealthy foods, rise when one lacks sleep. Control one’s appetite much better by getting enough sleep during the holidays. Also, understanding sleep processes could improve one’s sleep quality.

Track activities

Staying active stimulates one’s metabolism. Garmin’s smart wearables help users monitor their activities and progress. Its comprehensive monitoring features such as wrist-based heart rate, hydration tracking, stress tracking and sleep monitoring provides an easy and accurate way of keeping track of the body’s activities essential to improving metabolism. Targeting all tips above, below are reminders on how to maximize the Garmin smartwatch for the holidays and beyond.

• Garmin wearables can track resting and active calories consumption to help users estimate their metabolic rate.
• Garmin’s smartwatches help users record their daily water intake and sends reminders to hydrate in a timely manner.
• Through 24-hour continuous monitoring of changes in heart rate, Garmin devices can estimate overall levels of stress and send Relax Reminders that will encourage users to take a moment to relax if stress is usually high.
• Garmin wearables can track different stages of sleep: light, deep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. It detects the quality of one’s sleep at each stage and calculates the physiological values and provide users a sleep quality score and suggestions.

Good health is perhaps the best gift one can give to his/herself – and others — this Christmas. The holidays are the best time to exercise self-care and cultivate a healthier relationship with oneself. So, enjoy the feasts and special menus that are part of the Filipino Christmas celebration without the guilt by keeping fit and healthy still.

To learn more about Garmin’s devices, visit Garmin’s official Facebook page or follow its Instagram account. Read all about Garmin’s #HealthIsAChoice #ChooseGarmin campaign at Garmin’s minisite.

ADVT.