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Tips to Stay Healthy this Holiday Season

Lauren Grace Living

Archive

Tips to Stay Healthy this Holiday Season

I have to preface this blog by saying that I normally roll my eyes at blogs with this type of title. Because they are normally filled with unrealistic expectations about skipping carbs and not drinking. Well this is not that type of blog. I think you can still eat Christmas cookies, enjoy some holiday cocktails, and still be healthy.

This time of year has always been a bit of a slippery slope for me. Since my birthday is in November I usually go from one party to the next through New Years. It would be very easy for me to fall off the health band wagon. So to keep me somewhat on track I’ve developed some guidelines to help me stay on a healthy path.

1. Indulge at parties, eat healthy at home: When I go to a holiday party I’m going to eat and drink, its inevitable. I’m not interested in denying myself all the yummy goodies that this season brings. However, my every day meals are super healthy. Just because I’m indulging one night doesn’t mean I should eat crap the next. I don’t see the holidays as a license to pig out every day. I keep it healthy at home and enjoy myself when I’m at a gathering.

2. Indulge, but don’t over indulge: 2 or 3 Christmas cookies, no problem. 10 Christmas cookies, now that starts to become a problem. Like I said above, if you are at a holiday gathering enjoy yourself and indulge a little. Just try not to over do it. A few sweet treats aren’t going to affect your waistline that much, but a few handfuls most definitely will! The best way to avoid gorging out at a gathering is to make sure you never show up hungry. Always have some sort of healthy snack before you go. If you aren’t that hungry you won’t be so tempted to eat everything in site.

3. Drink your greens: I’ve been making some green juice every day during  the month of December. For one, with all the festivities I feel like I miss out on my daily dose of veggies some days. And two, I want to keep my immune system strong. This time of year is extra busy for everyone. Right now Im looking at my calendar and I don’t have one free day until after New Years. I’m working, socializing, running around, and not sleeping that much. And I’m sure your life looks a lot like mine right now. I have no intention of coming down with the holiday cold/flu. So I am making sure that I am providing my body with a ton of extra nutrients to keep me healthy. Green juice is a great way to get in all those vitamins. If you don’t have the time or ability to juice you can buy powdered greens that you just mix with water.  Whatever way you prefer, getting in your greens every day will keep you energized and healthy this holiday.

4. Amp up your activity: While the holidays may not be the best time to start a new workout routine it’s a great time to amp up the one you already have. Everyone seems to carry a lot of extra stress this time of year. Working out is a great way to sweat away some of that stress and keep you in shape at the same time. I may not have time to do an hour long workout at the gym during this time of year, but I can still take 20 minutes and do an intense cross fit workout. I’ve also been upping the intensity of my runs. The faster I run, the faster I’m done. Amping up your current workout not only helps you to burn more calories, but it also becomes more time efficient. And if you don’t have a workout routine yet you can amp up the intensity of your daily activities. You are most likely doing a lot more shopping, cooking, and cleaning, etc…so do it with zest! Walk faster in the mall, park further away from the entrance, dance to Christmas music while your cooking and cleaning. Just do your best to move your body more.

5. Meditate and nap often: With all this running around you are going to need to take a time out every now and then so that you don’t burn out. Just 5 minutes in the morning of sitting in the quiet can help calm your entire nervous system and help prepare you for a busy day ahead. The busier I am the more meditation time outs I’ll take throughout the day. Just having a few minutes to gather yourself and breath deep can do wonders for your mind and your body.  I’m also a big fan of power naps. I say take them whenever you can get them. You are most likely not getting enough sleep this time of year so if you can sneak in a 20 minute nap here and there, take it! Often times I don’t actually fall asleep during a nap, but it feels good to just shut my eyes and lay down for a few minutes. It’s so important for your well being that you find the time to slow down and clear your mind, especially during the holidays.

Lastly remember to enjoy the holidays. They only come around once a year and are suppose to be full of joy and good cheer. The best thing you can do to keep yourself healthy this holiday season is to have fun, laugh more, and love more.

Now I want to hear from you, what do you do to keep yourself healthy during the holidays? Share in the comments below.