Healthy Holiday
The holidays are approaching and they’re approaching FAST!!
I know how difficult it can be to figure out how to stay healthy during the holidays. And traveling during the holidays makes things even MORE complicated. I’m not a believer in not indulging SOME (aka I’m not CRAZY! HA!)…I know people are simply more relaxed when it comes to their diet and exercise during the holidays. BUT, that doesn’t mean you don’t need a plan. We don’t want to undo months of focused effort in JUST a few short weeks. We also don’t have to do more damage and simply put off our goals until the New Year. I want you feeling good and energized and confident as you close out 2015. And it’s totally doable.
Holidays mean you typically have access to a TON of more unhealthy foods, like sugar cookies, pies, stuffing (just the name alone kills me–ha!) and everything in between. Having a bite or a drink is fine, but remember it is all about moderation. Once I start celebrating the holidays with family and friends, it can be hard for me to pay attention to my meals. TORTUROUS almost! But, I know how to stay healthy during the holidays.
First off, avoid the indulge-and-then-punish-yourself game. You totally know what I’m talking about! You know, the time where you overindulge in holiday food then tell yourself you are going to skip breakfast and lunch to make up for it. Ummmm no! You are only creating a BAD, not to mention, UNHEALTHY cycle. If you skip breakfast and lunch you are only going to be more hungry when you sit down to eat dinner causing you to binge and feel unhealthy (yet again). Not to mention your are jacking up your metabolism almost guaranteeing a plateau. Steer clear of this cycle! If you do happen to overindulge, don’t sweat it! Remember, you are human! Just wake up in the morning and get ready to sweat it out and get back on track.
But, here a few holiday tips on how to stay healthy during the holidays.
Look Hot for the Holiday Tips
- Eat breakfast. Always. You want to wake your body up. Choose healthy options like eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, etc. I always have either my shakeology or an english muffin with peanut butter.
- Get your workout in. Make it a priority. Schedule it and stick to it. Believe it or not, people that are busier get more done. I’m sure you are crazy busy during the holidays which is now a GREAT thing. You have a better chance of consistently getting in your fitness routine. And if you need extra accountability, I have great private groups you can join if you don’t currently have a plan. If you are traveling and staying in a hotel, there’s typically a gym or a DVD player or you have your laptop. These are all tools to get your workout in. Don’t skip it and you will be so thankful later.
- Watch your portions. Yes, you can have your holiday favorites, if you limit the portion sizes. Load up your plate with 80 percent vegetables and protein, and 20 percent everything else.
- Prioritize your treats. I don’t like fruit cake. So, when I’m at the holiday party and I see fruit cake…guess what? I DON’T need to eat it. Skip it. Instead, I’m grabbing a small ooey gooey butter bar and savoring every morsel.
- Fill up on water. Stay hydrated. It will help your energy, keep you lean, and prevent you from over eating. If you decide to have an alcohol drink, make sure you rotate bottles of water in between cocktails and keep in mind, liquid calories add up fast!
- Focus on the after party. No matter how good things look, always think of tomorrow. How will you feel physically if you make poor food or drink choices today…what about mentally? Evaluate and choose accordingly. Don’t sacrifice tomorrow for today’s gratification.
- Buy a cute outfit that you can only fit into if you stay on track with your goals. That’s motivation!
- Avoid cravings by drinking your shakeology or making shakeology cookies to bring to the party. Works every time.
- Cleanse. Post Thanksgiving and Pre Christmas is a great time to do a 3 Day Cleanse! My husband and I just finished one! Our results were crazy! Do your body right and it will treat you well!
Those are my tips on how to be healthy during the holidays! What are yours? Let me know in the comments below!
Digging Deeper,
Jessica Bowser Nelson
