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HEALTHY & FIT Over the Holidays Health & Fitness Editor Dina Juve
Featuring Real Whole Food Recipes for the Holidays 5 Ingredients, 30 Minutes or Less So much excitement swirls around the holidays—all the gatherings, parties, spending time with friends, loved ones, and family near and far. All the delicious meals together and desserts after. Nights by the fire. Holiday music and beautiful decorations everywhere. Laughter, joy, and happiness fill up a room. It is a magical time of year. But at some point the holidays can get the best of us. All of us. Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Exhaustion and stress can take over. We want everything to be perfect, but sometimes we feel quite the opposite. We start grabbing food when we can and we skip our workouts. We really want to take care of ourselves, but when can we find the time? Then comes “I’ll do it, come New Year’s. I’ll get organized, catch up on sleep, eat healthy, and workout!” I hear this so much over the holidays. Instead of waiting until New Year’s, why not gift yourself the best present ever over the holidays? Take care of yourself first! This will not only help you feel your best inside and out, but the health benefits are tremendous! If you stay up on your workout schedule, eat those holiday goodies in moderation, and get good sleep, I promise those holiday blues won’t get you. You’ll have the energy to cook, clean, and pick out meaningful gifts. You’ll enjoy the parties, your kids’ programs, and love every moment of quality time. You’ll feel confident in every outfit you wear. You won’t want to hide in photos. The magic of the holidays will be memorable because you got enough sleep to remember them. Here are simple tips to make this the best holiday season yet:
Schedule your workouts.
We all feel better after a workout. More energy, less stress, and less anxiety. Invest and book all your classes in advance for the holiday season. Hire a personal trainer that will keep you accountable. If this doesn’t work for your budget, pick a friend to hold you accountable and work out together. Also try to walk any time you can—it all adds up.
Eat in moderation. Yes you can go to that party and eat guilt-free! I love to skim over the food before I decide what I want. Then I pick 2-3 items and I eat them without guilt. If you happen to eat or drink too much, make the commitment to yourself to reset the next day. Drink more water, eat less salt. Eat more lean protein, vegetables, and fruits.
Even better, bring a dish!
If you bring a healthier side dish, dessert, or holiday mocktail or cocktail, you know you will have something healthier for you to enjoy. I bet everyone else will love it, too, without knowing it’s healthier. I have provided three of my favorite holiday recipes for you to try here.
Try to keep a good sleep schedule. Even consider napping if you need to. More sleep equals more energy. More energy makes you less grouchy and more willing to stick to workouts and take care of yourself.
See it first in your mind.
Visualize yourself feeling amazing in every holiday situation. I ask my clients to pick out an outfit and think about that outfit before they skip their workout or overindulge.
Create a to-do list. This is so helpful to keep you organized over the holidays instead of wasting time...time you could be working out. Most of all, remember what the holidays are really about. When we feel good, inside and out, we enjoy everything more. So this year, make it the year you don’t give up on you! Make it the year where you shine bright and sparkle with joy. Make it the year you continue your fitness and health routine. Give yourself that gift. You deserve it!
