It’s always at this point in party season that I reliably fall off the exercise and healthy eating wagon. “Too tired today, too much in need of greasy, salty food, too much temptation.” December’s run of late nights, rich food and fizz all conspire to amplify my inner saboteur, and once I’ve fallen, it usually takes more will than I can muster to climb back on again.
This year, though, it’s been different. Armed with health hacks from some of the UK’s best trainers and nutritionists, I’ve managed to stick with good habits and good times. How?
Well, the hard work starts well before hitting the party. The Royals’s go-to nutritionist Gabriela Peacock advises warding off nutritional deficiencies with a good multivitamin: “Your body will be stressed by your alcohol intake so there’s a greater need for a supplement.” To counter the inflammatory effects of booze, she recommends taking astaxanthin – “a powerful antioxidant 6,000 times stronger than vitamin C – there’s strong research on its anti-inflammatory qualities.” Omega 3 is also helpful, she adds, for reducing inflammation and supporting liver function.
I've also learnt to squeeze in an exercise session before a big night, even just a 20-minute sprint if time is tight – this is on the advice of celebrity trainer Dalton Wong of Nexus Club London.“If you know you’re going to indulge, go for a run, do a HIIT class or strength train a couple of hours before you go out,” he says, “so your body is primed to absorb those extra calories.” What I didn’t expect is that the surge of endorphins can sometimes deliver all the buzz I’m after at a party too.
If you’re planning to really go for it, “avoid drinking on an empty stomach,” advises Jessie Inchauspé aka the nutrition influencer The Glucose Goddess. “On an empty stomach, a drink that contains sugar will create a bigger glucose spike [and cause] inflammation, insulin release, fatigue and cravings.” Having food in your digestive system, meanwhile, “slows down how quickly alcohol makes its way to your liver: this is key to reducing the overwhelm.” Eating before you go out, adds Wong, means you’ll be less tempted to gorge on unhealthy party foods: “I advise clients eat a filling, protein-based meal before going out.”
Sensible prepping is all very well, but everyone knows alcohol is the enemy of good intentions. I’ve found I’m less likely to fail if I stick to a few key rules rather than leave it open to internal debate each night. For example, on the advice of Cate Blanchett’s trainer John Clutterbuck, I skip pudding if drinking alcohol: “Because your body cannot store alcohol,” he explains, “it burns that first and stores everything else” (including that pud). He also recommends avoiding refined carbs (which cause blood sugar spikes) in favour of whole foods, “to reduce the rate at which sugar is absorbed – the fibre creates a buffer”. And choose clean spirits with minimal sugar, says Peacock, for example, tequila and vodka. Ditch the sugary mixers too, she says, which will “affect your sleep and increase your hangover.” Go for a small amount of juice – grapefruit or cranberry – and top up with sparkling water. Even better, kombucha or flavoured soda.
Hands down my favourite health hack – from Wong – is to “dance, dance, dance – you get a music high and an exercise high. It’s like going to a spin class for a couple of hours.” And before I hit the sack, I drink some coconut water: “It rebalances your electrolytes and calms the effects of a hangover,” says Wong.
The main problem with late nights is that my usual exercise window is early morning – and thus eminently skippable after going large the night before. Skip too many and the habit is broken. But actually, says Clutterbuck: “The best thing you can do to feel better is work out.” It’s a virtuous circle, he explains: “You’re much more likely to feel healthier and happier, and eat better, as you’re more in tune to what your body needs.” For motivation, he advises buddying up: “Then it’s in the diary and it’s real, and you won’t want to let them down.” When this isn’t practical, I do micro solo sessions – even just 10 minutes long – whatever gets me onto my mat. Once I’m there, sometimes I realise I can squeeze out another 10 or 20 minutes. Sometimes I can’t (for a pick-me-up, Clutterbuck recommends taking “a natural 5HTP supplement, which helps reinstate serotonin levels”), but even a gentle walk counts: “The fresh air, the drive to rehydrate, and the movement of the body will help clear that alcohol out of your system,” says Wong.
Then there are all the hungover food cravings to deal with. “We crave carbs as a way to increase our blood sugar levels now that we no longer have alcohol in our body,” explains Peacock. She recommends breakfasting on a green smoothie (“green apple base, then whatever green veg you have in the fridge”), plus eggs, smoked salmon, avocado and dark rye bread, for “good fats, Omega 3 and energy”. And, she suggests, plan ahead: “Are there days you could intermittent fast and give your body a break from digestion?” I might have to save that for January.
