Four ways to a healthier holiday
The holidays are a time for friends and family to come together and celebrate the things they are grateful for. It’s also a time for indulging in our favorite glutinous desserts (pumpkin pie anyone?) and maybe one too many glasses of wine. Too much food, along with too little time to exercise in between family gatherings and gift shopping, leaves us with a few extra inches around the waistline long after the holidays have passed. It’s no wonder gym memberships skyrocket on the first of the year. To avoid this all-too-familiar cycle, it’s best to maintain healthy habits all year round. Read below for 4 ways to stay healthy during the holidays:
1. Include more healthy dishes
The holidays are the one time of the year we get to have all our favorite foods at the same time. While indulging a little on special occasions is fine, indulging a lot can negatively affect our health and waistlines. Consider switching out some of your usual indulgent holiday dishes with a healthier alternative. Keep some of your favorite dishes on the menu but add in some lighter dishes to go along with them. For example, eat that generous helping of creamy mashed potatoes, but have some grilled asparagus to go with it.
2. Pick and choose your indulgence
It’s easy to go overboard during the holiday months when you have multiple holiday parties to attend. You want to take part in the festivities and enjoy yourself, as you should. However, enjoying yourself for two months straight quickly adds up on the scale. When considering your holiday party plans, pick and choose at which parties you will indulge. Decide to take it easy at the others and eat a healthy meal before you attend so you won’t be so tempted. Additionally, you could choose to indulge only on the holiday itself.
3. Get in more steps
Life can be hectic from November through December. There is party planning to do, gifts to buy, and travel arrangements to make. Self-care typically goes on the backburner during these months, including our normal exercise routine. If you can’t find time to fit in your usual hardcore cardio session at the gym, go for a walk. Walking is a great form of exercise that burns calories and helps reduce stress. Try to incorporate more walking into your daily routine when you can’t make your usual gym sessions.
4. Take your vitamins
Colder weather, less sleep, and more stress are all factors that can lead to a weakened immune system. To avoid getting sick during the holidays, bolster your immune system with daily vitamins that strengthen the immune system and help to fight off infections. Vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc are just a few helpful vitamins and minerals that are commonly used to prevent infections. Consider taking a daily multivitamin as well as incorporating morefoods that are high in immune boosting vitamins like citrus fruits, leafy greens, turmeric, and garlic.
