7 Health Tips to Survive the Holidays
Holiday season is in full swing!
Do you have visions of sugar plums dancing in your head?
Or, do you have nightmares of the bloat you felt after last year's festivities?
If you said yes to the latter then this guide is for you!
Here are 7 tips to help you survive and thrive during the holidays!
Tip 1. Guilt Free Zone!
The holidays should be enjoyed guilt free!
That doesn't mean your cheesecake is calorie free, but it does mean that you should enjoy every delicious bite. This way, you will be less likely to overindulge.
Guilt increases cortisol - the stress hormone - that increases the likelihood you will overeat and that your calories will be stored as fat.
When you make a decision to enjoy your grandmother's butter tarts - truly enjoy them. Then send me a batch.
Tip 2. Choose Bubbly!
The holidays can be enjoyed with or without alcohol.
If you chose to drink alcohol, consider choosing Champagne.
A glass of Champagne rings in at 90 calories versus a glass of red or white wine at 120 calories.
Champagne has many of the same health benefits as wine such as a possible decreased risk of heart disease and memory issues when taken in moderation.
Like wine, different varieties of champagne have different sugar levels. Chose Brut varieties for lower sugar content.
Stick to 2 champagne flutes per event in your holiday calendar.
Add some raspberries for some extra antioxidants.
Going alcohol free?
Ginger ale in a flute glass will have the same glamorous visual effect!
Tip 3. Get your Vitamin C!
It's no coincidence that citrus fruits are so abundant during the cooler months!
Increasing the vitamin C in your diet during the holidays may boost your immunity to help you fight off colds that are being passed around.
Remember to also get frequent doses of vitamin wash your hands!
Tip 4. Keep your Routine!
Our bodies love routine.
Try to continue aiming for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
Aim to exercise 30 minutes most days of the week even while on holiday.
And, after a night - or weekend - of overindulgence, get back to a healthy food routine.
Tip 5. Choose Veggies First!
When you're at a buffet or family style dinner fill your plate with veggies first.
The vegetables will take the edge off your appetite and allow you to make better choices throughout your meal.
Tip 6. Volunteer!
The holidays can be difficult for many.
Volunteering during the holidays can increase your social connection to your community.
If you feel lonely during the holidays volunteering can help you feel like you have company.
If you are feeling the holidays are overly commercial or they've driven your spending habits out of control, volunteering can bring you back to true appreciation of the spirit of the holidays.
Tip 7. Accept that Everything that Can Go Wrong Will Go Wrong!
This is one of my favourite tips.
We all have expectations for the holidays.
How perfect and magical they will be. How the perfect fluffy snow will arrive Christmas morning. How our significant other will propose New Year's Eve. How our entire family will get along without any meltdowns just this once!
The reality is that life is not perfect.
There will be imperfections to your holidays.
There will be travel delays and lost luggage. Your dog will throw up on your carpet. Your boss will ask you to work over time. The turkey will be dry. The apple crumble will be burnt.
Make a resilience plan based on the "everything that can go wrong will go wrong" philosophy
Instead of only imagining the perfect holidays, imagine the most imperfect holidays.
Imagine your holidays were full of crazy unpredictable events.
How would you react?
If you are prone to automatic thoughts when something goes wrong like: "this holiday is an absolute distaster!" Then, change it to something positive like "this holiday is hilarious!" If that is too positive for your then change it to something neutral that states only the basic facts like "This is a day!"
What are your tips to surviving the holidays?
Share them below!
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