Healthy Holidays

It’s the most wonderful time of year, and today I wanted to share some tips to keep the good vibes rolling and to make these holidays healthy and happy. It can be super tempting to throw caution to the wind this time of year with all of the holiday parties and disrupted schedules, but that will catch up sooner or later! So instead of letting all of your good habits slip out the back door this winter, lets work on employing some easy strategies.

First of all, be realistic. This is an amazing time of year where we tend to put extra focus on being with the people we love and care about, and the last thing anyone wants is to be bummed out with calorie counting. So set some realistic expectations for yourself (and practice grace when you do slip up). The simple act of showing yourself some grace and compassion can help you avoid going on an all out binge.

Plan time to exercise. I suggest this to all of my coaching clients year round, but especially in these busier seasons of life. Consider your exercise as a non-negotiable. Put it on your calendar and hold it sacred like one of your most important appointments. Not only will this help you keep on track with your fitness goals, but it will help keep stress levels down, and keep your mind right as you’re wrapping up the finishing touches for the Holidays.

Perhaps even harder than getting your exercise in is sticking to a solid nutrition plan for the holidays. First of all, I would not suggest skipping meals. Even if you indulge the meal or day before. If you do happen to  over do it at one meal go a little lighter the next meal. However, under no circumstances should you ever berate yourself for indulging. We all slip up, and that is 100% ok. Again this is a great season with so much good food, and a season of grace.

Be especially mindful to eat until you’re satisfied, not stuffed. One way to do this is to eat slowly, give yourself a chance to enjoy what you’re eating. Try only eating the things that completely rock your world! Survey the buffet before making your plate and keep your portions in check.

If you’re feeling a little sleep deprived during this season, you probably know you are not alone. But did you know that not getting enough sleep can be a huge culprit to holiday (or any time of year) weight gain? If you’re tired, your body releases certain hormones that can encourage late night snacking.  This might explain why we are less likely able to exercise the same self control around food after tucking the kids into bed or a long day of work. Some things to help with this:

• Keep your bedtime (relatively) the same
• Try to stay true to your nightly rituals, and cut screen time off an hour before bedtime if you can
• Drop the temperature (this is probably the only time you will hear me say that!)
• Use your weekends to catch up on sleep by ditching the alarm clock or snagging a nap
• Taper off the bubbly and heavy foods at least an hour before bedtime. We all know how horribly we sleep if we go to bed a bit too tipsy or right after eating something heavy. Your body will be busy trying to metabolize what you just ate or drank rather than going into sleep mode.

Friends, we can absolutely make this the most wonderful time of the year by setting our intentions early on, and staying focused. Having a game plan and a few tips in hand can make this a healthy holiday season full of great joy as well.

Cheers to a full cup and staying healthy this holiday season! Questions or comments? Go ahead and leave them below. I love hearing from you! 

PS. Now is the perfect time to start thinking about your fitness plan for 2018, fill out a form in the contact section if you want help mapping out your custom fitness journey.

Xo,

Alisha