tips to stay healthy during the holidays

5 Tips for Staying Healthy During the Holidays

Working during the holidays can be challenging on the body, mind, and spirit. Even if you’re working remotely, schedules can get really busy, and then the responsibilities of family and friends can cause things to be even more hectic. The first thing that goes out the window when we don’t have time is our diets. However, there are specific strategies to staying healthy during the holidays. 

Staying healthy is especially important during this time of the year, as you want to be able to really be able to enjoy the season with your loved ones. Here are some tips to clear your mind, energize your body, and ignite your well-being this holiday season. 

Staying Healthy During The Holidays

1- Prioritize Self Care

The holidays can be a time for socializing, getting together with friends, and visiting family. If you focus on everyone else all the time, you may find that your methods for self-care fall to the wayside.

To avoid this, make self-care your priority. What does self-care mean to you? There isn’t a single right or wrong answer to the question. For many working professionals, self-care means taking time to relax, practicing mindfulness, meditating, and rejuvenating.

Here are a few ideas to get and stay in your self-care habits:

  • Make time for journaling and self-reflection.
  • Schedule time each day for learning about mindfulness.
  • Practice mindfulness of breathing.
  • Get up early to meditate before the events of the day.
  • Go for a walk in nature and observe the beauty.
  • Paint, draw or sketch to express yourself.

As you explore self-care, notice what makes you feel happy, calm, and at ease. There is no single recipe for caring for yourself. Explore different ways to take care of your body, mind, and spirit—and do more of what makes you feel wonderful.

2 – Stay Active

While working remotely has become a ‘new normal,’ many professionals are finding that the big challenge is staying active. Doing at least one thing every day to stay active or get moving can make a big difference in terms of how you feel and reduce holiday weight gain.

Organize your workouts to focus on different muscle groups, flexibility, strength, and fat loss. By switching your routine, you’ll keep your body engaged and your motivation high. Keep equipment such as yoga mats, resistance bands, and weights all in one handy location. 

If possible, set up a room or area of a room so all the equipment is organized, clean, and accessible. While space may be at a premium, organize your workout area away from your office or work desk. Even if you just use your gear once a day, you’ll have an easier time getting in the mood. 

3 – Balance Holiday Goodies With Healthy Choices

During the holidays, we often face foods that we would otherwise never consider eating. We encounter a tempting array of rich, fatty, and sugary foods at parties and events. Limiting the amount you eat, and/or creating balance during the day can help you keep feeling your best. For instance, if you know you have a get-together in the evening, be sure to eat light and healthy during the day.

Some healthy choices you can make and continue through the holidays, include:

  • Whole, seasonal vegetables such as squashes, broccoli, carrots, and kale
  • Colorful fruits such as apples, pears, and papaya
  • Healthy grains such as quinoa and rice
  • Clean proteins such as chicken, turkey, and lamb
  • Healthy fats, like avocado and olive oils

By focusing on foods to enjoy, you can help yourself build new habits that you can actually continue to enjoy well into the new year. And ultimately, making smart food choices during this season is a great way to support your general well-being overall.

4 – Don’t Forget To Sleep

With so much going on during a holiday season, loss of sleep can exacerbate your exhaustion, your craving for unhealthy food, and prevent you from exercising. Sleep is a key component of staying healthy during the holidays.

Don’t forget your bedtime routines, and stick to them!

For more information on getting restful sleep: 10 Techniques to Relieve Stress and Improve Your Sleep.

5 – Drink Plenty of Water

The holidays bring about socializing, happy hour, hot cocktails, and lots of sugary goodness. I don’t discourage you from any of it (in moderation), but I do encourage you to remember to hydrate.

Drinking plenty of water ensures your system stays flushed. Thirst can also present itself sometimes as hunger; so drinking plenty of water can help you stay full and know for sure if you’re really hungry for that snack! Plus, water helps to naturally detox the body; if you’re looking for more detox solutions then a 7 day detox cleanse program can also help.

Final Thoughts

Staying healthy during the holidays can. be tricky but not impossible. Remembering your routine, creating a balance in your diet, and giving yourself room to relax can all help to keep you feeling good during this time.

Featured and pinnable images courtesy of unsplash.

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