3 Tips for Staying Healthy During the Holidays

For those of us trying to work on a healthy lifestyle, the holidays can be scary. We’re told to fear weight gain and to enjoy the holidays without enjoying them “too much.” It’s a very stressful time for everyone. Here are my top 3 tips for continuing your health journey during the holidays.

1. DROP THE “ALL OR NOTHING” MINDSET

If you eat a cookie one day, don’t think “well I ruined the whole day I might as well just eat everything bad now.” It’s all about balance. You don’t need to “save up” your treats for one day and you definitely don’t need to skip meals or workout extra to “make up for” what you eat. No need to detox. No need to massively cut calories before/after Christmas. No need to increase your cardio to burn off the candy. Instead you should focus on balance and mindfulness. Putting pressure on yourself to be perfect with your nutrition, health, or basically anything in life is not sustainable at all.

2. MOVE YOUR BODY A LITTLE BIT EVERYDAY

We’re all busy this time of year. Missing workouts it normal! We may not have time to get a 45 minute workout in every morning, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up completely. Maybe you do a 10-minute abs workout in the morning one day, and the next day you go for a 20 minute walk in the neighborhood. If you have the time and want to continue your typical workout plan, do that. Move your body a little every day to stay active and keep your body healthy during the holidays.

3. PRIORITIZE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

While it’s important to prioritize mental health year round, it’s especially important during this time of year. The stress of “ruining” your health progress from the previous 11 months can take a toll on you. We’re bombarded with blog posts and articles this time of year with titles like “how to avoid holiday weight gain” or “how to stay skinny during the holidays.” It’s important to remember that weight gain during the holidays or any other time of the year it perfectly fine and normal. Bodies change all the time. Being on a health journey is so much more than physical health. Make sure to take time to check in with and take care of yourself, especially during this time of year.

The holidays will come and go. If you overindulge or feel guilty for missing workouts, just remember that this is only a temporary period of time. You’ll get back to your normal routine in no time and will start feeling better soon. What do you do to stay healthy during the holidays? Let me know in a comment below! Also, if you liked this post, be sure to click here to subscribe to emails and follow me on Instagram @successandselfcare!