Surviving the Season of Excess
text size

Surviving the Season of Excess

A Bangkok Guide to Festive Health

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
Listen to this article
Play
Pause

Ah, the festive season in Bangkok – that magical time when every shopping mall transforms into a winter wonderland (despite the 32-degree heat), and your perfectly planned diet faces more temptations than a monk at a mango sticky rice buffet. From office parties at Korean BBQ joints to family gatherings where your aunt insists you haven’t eaten enough until you’re literally rolling home, the challenges to our health are endless.

But fear not, fellow festive warriors! Here’s your survival guide to maintaining some semblance of well-being during this season of excess, Bangkok style.

The Art of Tactical Eating

Let’s be honest – between the holiday promotions at every hotel buffet and your mother’s industrial-sized portions of pad kra pao, December feels like one continuous eating marathon. The key is tactical eating, or what I like to call the “Som Tam Strategy.”

Surviving the Season of Excess

Just as you wouldn’t order som tam Thai at maximum spiciness without building up your tolerance, pace yourself through the festive feast. Start with small portions, like a tuk-tuk navigating Sukhumvit’s narrow sois – careful and strategic. And yes, it’s okay to say “mai ao” (no, thank you) to that third helping of Christmas pudding, even if your colleague swears it was flown in directly from Harrods.

Moving More Than Just Your Chopsticks

Exercise during the festive season doesn’t have to mean fighting for a treadmill at Fitness First while everyone else is working on their “new year, new me” resolutions. Get creative! Take a morning walk around Lumphini Park before the sun turns it into a sauna. Join the aunties for their evening aerobics sessions by the lake – they’re surprisingly hardcore and their dance moves are better than anything you’ll see in RCA.

Surviving the Season of Excess

Or simply take the stairs at BTS stations instead of the escalator. Every step counts, especially when you’re trying to burn off that “buy one get one free” promotion at After You.

The Hydration Situation

Between the air-con blasting everywhere and the free-flow wine at holiday parties, staying hydrated is crucial. Carry water everywhere like you’re preparing for a Bangkok traffic jam – you never know when you’ll be stuck somewhere without it. And no, bubble tea doesn’t count as hydration, no matter how much you try to convince yourself those tapioca pearls are “basically water.”

Surviving the Season of Excess

Managing the Morning After

We’ve all been there – waking up after a night of festive “networking” at Above Eleven or Sky Bar, wondering why we thought that last glass of champagne was a good idea. Instead of heading straight for the greasy comfort of Go-Ang Chicken Rice, try some of grandma’s old remedies: coconut water, cold-pressed juice from that fancy place in Terminal 21, or good old-fashioned congee from the street vendor who’s seen it all.

The Post-Holiday Reality Check

January hits Bangkok like a surprise thunderstorm in the dry season. Suddenly, the festive decorations disappear faster than parking spots at centralwOrld, and reality comes knocking like a persistent grab bike driver. This is when the real test begins.

Start small: swap the holiday cookies for fresh fruit from the local market (yes, that mango really can be as satisfying as chocolate). Take advantage of the “winter” weather while it lasts – those three days when the temperature drops below 25 degrees are perfect for outdoor activities.

Mental Well-being: More Important Than Your Instagram Feed

Remember, mental health is as crucial as physical health during this season. It’s okay to skip that fourth holiday party in a week. FOMO is temporary, but burnout feels longer than a rush-hour commute on Sathon Road.

Surviving the Season of Excess

Take time for yourself: meditate at a local temple, get a traditional Thai massage (the real kind, not the gentle tourist version), or simply enjoy a quiet coffee at your favourite hidden café before the crowds discover it through TikTok.

The Bottom Line

The festive season in Bangkok is a unique experience – where else can you find Christmas carols competing with temple bells, and Santa Claus riding a tuk-tuk? Embrace the chaos, but remember to take care of yourself. After all, you want to have enough energy to tackle those New Year’s sales at the glitzy new Central Chidlom.

And if all else fails? There’s always detox camp in January. Though between you and me, a good bowl of kuay tiew rua (boat noodles) works just as well for the soul.

About the author: Currently recovering from three consecutive nights of holiday buffets while contemplating a juice cleanse that will probably never happen.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT