It’s Christmas! The kitchen is groaning with food and you probably will be, too. Enjoy it, but keep our back-up plan close to hand for the days between the big feasts and you’ll feel fresh and balanced in the weeks to come.

‘Christmas should never be about restriction – it should be about mindful indulgence,’ says nutrition expert Sujata Din. ‘Balancing out heavy days with days where you nutritionally balance your diet and support your body can be the key to remaining energised and healthy throughout the holidays – and it resets your consumption slightly so you don’t fall into an “all or nothing” mindset that last until January.’

Take a break

Taking a few days off also gives your body a physical break. Doctors advise taking two or three days off from drinking alcohol each week to allow your liver time to recover, while taking a lower-calorie break in between the big feasting days offers a metabolic reset. How and what should you eat to support your body and keep nutrition levels high? Here are some ideas from the experts.

Eat more ‘skinny jab’ foods

‘Weight-loss medications like Moujara work by stimulating GLP-1 hormone, and some foods can also trigger the natural release of this,’ says Benjamin Richardson from Nutritionist Resource. Oil-rich fish, such as mackerel, tuna and salmon, fermented dairy foods like kefir, and high-fibre foods like beans and lentils, should all be on your ‘to eat’ list.

Use the 3 'P's

‘Aim for proteins, plants and portion control at every meal to balance blood sugar, keep you satisfied for longer and naturally reduce cravings,’ says Sujata. ‘Fill half of your plate with colourful vegetables, a quarter with lean protein and a quarter with whole grains.’

Reduce carbs

No-one wants to calorie count over Christmas, ‘but you can adjust your intake in ways that encourage moderation without feeling restricted,’ says Benjamin. ‘For example, simply reduce by half the carbohydrates or fat that you’d normally serve yourself on your non-feasting days.’ A recent study showed that people rotating ‘normal’ carb days with lower-carb days found that their metabolic markers improved on low-carb days and they could handle high-fat meals eaten later more effectively.

Try the plus-one plan

‘Stick to the rule that whatever you eat on your in-between days you add one nutritious element to the meal,’ says Sujata. ‘So, it might be extra vegetables with leftovers or a handful of nuts or fruit with your cheese.’

Feed your gut bugs

Too much rich food can quickly change your gut bacteria – and, sneakily, it changes it in a way that increases numbers of the bacteria that see you store calories! ‘The good news is the microbiome is highly adaptable and bounces back quickly when routine returns,’ says Clemence Cleave, registered nutritionist at health group Pure Sports Medicine. Adding gut-friendly foods, like a serve of sauerkraut with the leftover turkey or a cup of warming miso soup as a snack between shopping trips, can help things stay in balance.

Keep cooking

Don't reserve your culinary skills for show-stopping meals – new research is showing that the calories we eat are not equal, and the fresher, and less processed your meals, the better your body handles the energy within them. According to researchers at University College London, people lost twice as much weight on a diet full of minimally processed foods than ultra-processed ones – even if their calorie intake was even. They also had fewer cravings for unhealthy foods.