Tips for Staying Healthy this Busy Holiday Season
It’s hard not to get wrapped up in the excitement of the holidays, but at the same time the added stress, reduction in sleep, and the addition of more unhealthy foods can wreak havoc on your body – leaving you tired and irritable, even leading to illness. So, this holiday season treat yourself with some healthy habits so you can survive (and enjoy) everything this time of year has to offer. Here are some tips:
1. Have a Smoothie
A smoothie is one of the best ways to make sure you get your daily dose of healthy fruits and veggies. They make perfect mini-meals before your heading out to a party. With your appetite satiated, you’re less likely to linger around the dessert table. Here’s a quick and delicious smoothie to blend up the next time you are craving chocolate! 1/2 frozen banana 1 handful spinach 1 tablespoon of almond (or other nut) butter 1-1.5 cups of your favorite milk substitute (any kind will do, coconut milk adds a nice flavor) 1-2 scoops of chocolate Plant Protein Power
2. Get Juicing
Fresh-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices are perfect for a quick morning wake-up call, or in between work, workouts, and shopping. If you’re keen to maintain your weight this year over the holiday season, then this might be just the trick. Healthy juice combos you might want to try include:
- Kale, green grapes, apple, cucumber
- Orange, carrot, celery, broccoli
- Apple, pear, ginger, celery
- Orange, sweet potato, apple, cinnamon
3. Keep your Routine
If you exercise regularly, you’ll feel better and have more energy – what could be more important during this time of year? While you might not be able to squeeze in all of your regular workouts, you can make an extra effort to stay on course – how about some mall speed walking, since you’re already there? Or, set up the family movie somewhere you can work on your yoga moves, have a planking competition with your family, do jumping jacks while building a snowman, or simply head outdoors for some snowshoeing and sledding. It’s not hard to stay active over the holidays, you just have to resist the urge to curl up on the couch and drink eggnog (you can do that too, but in moderation).
4. Sleep!
When the holiday parties, get togethers, and late-night wrapping activities mess with your sleep patterns your body will pay the price. Try to keep your sleep patterns as regular as possible, but should you have a late night try to resist sleeping in. It feels nice but will further disrupt your body’s natural sleep cycles. If you’ve had a late night, aim for a quick nap in the afternoon to recharge your batteries. You might also want to watch your alcohol intake as this can affect your sleep quality.
5. Eat Healthy
Probably the biggest factor that affects our health over the holidays is what we consume – high-fat foods, meat and cheeses, alcohol, refined carbohydrates, and sugar. None of these items is going to help you feel great, so try to avoid them as much as possible. Pack healthy snacks, like almonds and dried fruit, veggie sticks so you can hold off on the unhealthy options as much as possible. While it’s okay to indulge in moderation, the more unhealthy food you eat over the holidays, the more your body is going to pay the price.
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