A Guide to Healthy Holidays
I can’t believe it… December already! The festive season is an exciting and joyful time but is also usually accompanied with high stress levels, lower fitness levels, and a few extra pounds of holiday weight.
It is no surprise that our health falls by the wayside with dinners, buying gifts and under normal circumstances, seeing family filling up our calendars and desserts with one too many glasses of wine filling up our bellies.
Add on top of that a lack of sleep and decreased exercise to make time for all these new events– we’ve got the perfect recipe for a complete fall right off the bandwagon.
When the holidays end and everyone has gone back to their routine, we end up feeling tired, sluggish, and irritable accompanied by a few extra pounds around the waist. This leads to intense January detoxing, restrictive diets and goal setting which are unattainable and can lead to a negative self-image and a lot of guilt.
This year let’s STOP this cycle. Of course, it is okay unwind with a few glasses of wine and to enjoy delicious home-cooked holiday desserts with family and friends; but this holiday season, I encourage you to be more mindful of what you are putting into your body as well as what you are expecting of yourself come January.
The following is a guide to help you avoid some unhealthy holiday situations.
Holiday Dinners
If you know you are in control of a portion of the meal you can make it semi healthy and get in some greens and proteins. Don’t restrict your options to traditional ‘holiday foods’ try some winter soups, roasted veggies or festive salads.
When eating, pick your own potions. You may not always be in control of this if being served, but when possible make up your own plate and don’t compare it to others.
Many people binge over holidays, this is what causes the bloated and fatigued feeling post-meal. Don’t fall into the trap. Just enjoy the food you really want (don’t just put it on your plate because it’s there) and stop eating when full.
Hydrate
Hydrate (with water not eggnog). Often, we eat when we are just thirsty. Make sure you are drinking enough water, this will help with your sugar cravings as well.
Move
I know it seems there is no time during the holidays to cut out enough time to go exercise, but it makes us more productive. If we exercise our brains are more efficient at planning and decision making which are both important, especially around the holidays. Even if you don’t have a lot of time, do something active for 20 mins each day.
Eat
Don’t starve yourself. Unless you are doing an intentional fast, don’t restrict your meals on the day of a big dinner to save room. You will end up bingeing on unhealthy foods rather than having a balanced diet throughout the day with a few indulgences.
Balance
It’s all about balance. The holidays are a time to celebrate, don’t spend it bingeing then feeling guilty. When you choose to indulge - enjoy it! If you had a delicious dessert one night, start your next day with a nice healthy breakfast, don’t let your thoughts linger on your unhealthy decisions. Look at the holiday as a whole.
Not taking a second piece of pie or saying no to cookies you didn’t need at the office adds up. Make healthy options available to yourself and be prepared. Most importantly, remember to breath. The holidays are a time to enjoy yourself and be grateful for all you have. Enjoy!
Dr. Devlin believes that education and preventative medicine are the greatest steps toward wellness and is focused on empowering individuals to take the appropriate steps towards being their own health advocate. Follow along on Instagram.