How To Stay Healthy Over The Holidays

The holidays are a time for celebration, rest and relaxation. It’s a time to spend in the company of some of your most loved and not worrying about every little detail that may derail your health and fitness progress.

These tips will help you keep healthy while still enjoying your time off.

Enjoy Food Using The 80/20 Rule

Healthy living is about balance and enjoyment - not restriction. The 80/20 rule means sticking to whole foods like vegetables, grains and legumes 80% of the time while leaving room for treats. By sticking to a primarily whole foods diet you can enjoy treats and “fun” foods guilt-free.

Keep Your Body Moving

While the holidays are a time to relax, it’s important to keep your body moving to stimulate blood flow, aid in digestion and improve mood and well-being overall. Your schedule may be off and you may not feel like engaging in your usual intense workouts so opt for restorative activities like walking, yoga or mobility work.

Prepare Healthy Meal Options

Having healthy meals you can easily opt for makes healthy living so much more seamless. Preparing ahead of time means you can spend more time with the ones you love and less time slaving away in the kitchen. Schedule some time on Sunday morning to meal plan and grocery shop. My favourite way to meal prep is to create ingredients rather than meals to keep my options fresh and interesting throughout the week. Check out my article ‘Quick & Easy Meal Prep Hacks’ for easy-to-follow tips and tricks.

Engage In Mindfulness Practises

While the holidays are meant to be a joyous time, for some it can trigger a lot of stress. Maybe you’re an introvert that needs a lot of downtime or maybe you’re in the company of family you don’t necessarily get along with. Utilising mindfulness practises such as intentional breathing, meditation or time spent in nature can help deescalate feelings of conflict and increase resilience to stressful situations. Aim to practise these soon after waking so you can start your day on good terms.

Show Your Appreciation Without The Hefty Costs

The joy of gift-giving can often be overshadowed by the price tags that follow, resulting in stress and maybe even resentment. You want to shower your family and friends with the gifts they deserve but your financial situation may not allow for that. Instead, build sentiment and connection with your loved ones with homemade gifts. Make gifts such as hand-poured candles, hand-crafted terrariums, hand-sewn scarfs and sweaters or freshly baked treats. You may be surprised that these are the kinds of gifts we often remember and cherish years down the line.

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