10 TIps for a Healthy Holiday

Holidays are a wonderful time of year to celebrate families and to count our blessings, but they can take a toll on our health as well. There is the mental stress of organizing family events and meals, there are gifts to choose, and any event with family involves both joy and tension. There are also physical drawbacks as we tend to indulge in the extremes of too much to eat and drink. As we navigate the family gatherings and other responsibilities, we. Often neglect our fitness routine. We need to work hard to stay healthy during the hustle of the holidays, so here are ten ways to stay healthy.

1. Plan ahead. Being organized will reduce some of the stress. Make lists of what needs to be done, and check things off as you go.
2. Don’t over complicate the holiday. You don’t have to do everything. Ask for help. Consider pot luck meals where everyone brings something. Be flexible and ready to pivot if plans change. Enjoy the special moments instead of worrying about everything being perfect.
3. Maintain normal routines. Do your best to continue to follow your normal routine. Not following your routine can contribute to stress because you will feel scattered.
4. Practice self-care. Taking care of yourself can be your gift during the holidays. Find ways to sneak away for some quiet, and prioritize sleep.
5. Exercise to reduce stress. You may have less time to exercise during the holidays,but anything is better than nothing. Go for walks, choose stairs over elevators, and move in any way you can.
6. Try new activities. Extra food and drinks can drain energy and motivation, so boost your desire to exercise by doing something new and fun.
7. Create family competitions. If I want to see total chaos and hysterical laughter, I’ll convince my family to engage in competition. I think it will work for you too.
8. Boost immunity.

• Wash your hands
• Take vitamin c
• Drink green tea
• Prioritize sleep
• Stay hydrated
• Take apple cider vinegar

9. Balance your plate. You probably cannot avoid a few foods that are unhealthy, but balance those with greens, proteins and carbohydrates.

10. Give yourself grace. You might gain some weight, forget to exercise regularly, and your turkey might not have been perfect, but no matter what happens, give yourself grace, laugh about it if you can, and carry on.

Once the holidays are over take a deep breath and make some notes about how it can be even better next year.