It’s the holiday season, 4 weeks until Thanksgiving and only 9 weeks until Christmas! Enjoying spending time with our loved ones is possible while still achieving our health goals.
When it comes to food, it’s a marathon not a sprint.
Just because the table has a full spread on it constantly during this time of year doesn’t mean that you have to indulge every time you get off the couch. I want you to enjoy it all but remember the basics: eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full, eat a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and veggies. You can always have leftovers later!
Tips on How to Stay On Track with your Health Goals During the Holidays:
- Pace yourself when it comes to incorporating alcohol.
- Never drink on an empty stomach unless you want to start feeling the effects sooner and remember that your friends/family members that are bigger than you will have a bigger tolerance.
- Enjoy the pretty cocktails, red wine and fancy craft beers. Alcohol can increase your calories pretty quickly since each of these can be 120-220ish or more a piece.
- Drinking can add up so make sure to balance drinking with getting essential nutrients from food too.
- If you are someone that typically gets stressed during the holidays, plan ahead of time so that you don’t procrastinate to try to get everything done last minute.
- Try a family potluck so that you’re not the only one cooking or do a Secret Santa so that buying gifts doesn’t blow the budget.
- Try to get your gym time in the morning to be able to keep up with your strength training routine and maybe incorporate a family activity so that everyone can move their bodies a bit. (Outdoor walks, ice skating, participating in a 5K, going to an indoor waterpark, trampoline park or maybe just playing a game of twister can all be ideas to help keep you moving rather than sitting.)
The holidays are supposed to be a time where you can spend good quality time with each other. It’s not about the gifts or the catering or the outrageous parties. Don’t stress and enjoy yourself, you deserve it!
With everyone around for the holidays, it might be smart for you to plan your exercise during times when others may be sleeping or just hanging out.
I hope that these tips have given you some ideas on how to enjoy yourself during the holidays. Our society stresses enough during the year so I hope that you take this time to relax, enjoy and not feel guilty that your gym routine may be on the back burner. There is so much more that you can do at home, with your bodyweight or with family games to help keep you on track.
Happy Holidays!
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