Hey guys,
Well its that time of year again, when we have so much fun, eat delicious food and spend time with the ones we love. All of this is great except for the fact that we all seem to gain some weight or slip up on our healthy living routine.
Well, I have put together some tips to help all of us stay on track when it comes to this fun and joyful season!
Tips for staying healthy during the holidays
1. Eat smaller portions
With party after party and all the delicious food that is offered, its hard to avoid overeating. You may have brunch at noon and then a party at 3 with appetizers and dinner. Instead of eating everything or avoiding everything, indulge in the treats but take smaller portions. This way you’ll be able to digest the lesser amounts of food before going to the next party.
Quick tip: It is always a good rule of thumb to eat portions that is equal to the size of your closed fist.
2. Eat more veggies
During the holidays we tend to eat more carbs and protein. We are offered a buffet line of dishes such as turkey, ham, roast on top of candied yams, macaroni, mash potatoes and then veggies. Our first instinct is to pile everything on our plates (at least that’s what happens to me) 😉 . However, we can tell ourselves to pick up more veggies than carbs and protein. This way we would give our digestive systems a break and consume fewer calories.
3. Give yourself a “cheat” dish
I think that something we tell ourselves before the holidays is “okay I am not going to eat desserts and this dish or that dish”, in hopes that we will eat less or healthier. In my opinion, telling myself to avoid a particular food makes me want it more. Therefore, depriving yourself might be hurting you more than helping you.
So I suggest you tell yourself that you can eat your fav desserts or dishes but make sure put a limit on the amount or frequency of eating it. This way you won’t feel deprived or crave it more.
Always remember eating a healthy diet and living a healthy lifestyle starts with balance!
4. Keep active
I know, I know you have a million parties to attend, church to go to and probably gift shopping and more to do. All of the festivities and chores can get overwhelming and cause our exercise routine to go out the window. Usually, you may put in an hour or more a day on exercise but hardly have an hour for yourself during the holidays. That is fine; you do not need to exercise for so long, just enough to keep your body moving and help with keeping off the unwanted weight.
5. Cook healthier options to share around
If you are hosting a party or contributing to one, then make sure you opt for healthier dishes. If you are close to the host of a party that you are attending; you can respectfully share your favorite healthy recipes in hopes of inspiring them or helping them to pick healthier options. Another option for holiday parties/ dinners is to have a potluck theme. This is what my family and close friends like to do. We can all set guidelines of what type of food we would like. Do not be afraid to be an advocate for healthier dishes. In any case, make sure some options can work for everyone’s tastes and are still fun!
Final thoughts
These tips should help you guys stay on track with your healthy living routines. If you guys have any more tips that can help with staying healthier during the holidays, please leave them in the comments below!
And always remember the holidays are a time of joy, thanksgiving, and fellowship, so do not focus too much on the food aspect of it. Be sure to have fun and enjoy the time and loved ones around!
I will be doing just that!
Until next time,
yasmin rose xoxo
