10 Holiday Health and Fitness Tips
The holiday season is in full swing with holiday parties, work events, last-minute shopping, and cross-country traveling. It can be tempting to abandon your healthy habits with the highly palatable comfort foods of the season, the hectic pace, and the cold weather. Check out our 10 tips to stay healthy and fit over the holidays while thoroughly enjoying all the holiday season has to offer!
10 Holiday Health & Fitness Tips
It isn’t so much about overeating on the actual holiday, but instead about our eating habits throughout the holiday season that matter. Change your mindset from having to eat less to eating better, choosing to add healthy vegetables and fruits to your daily meals instead of focusing on limiting sweets. To set yourself up for success, plan out your meals and make healthy snacks, like veggies and hummus, convenient and easily accessible.
At a holiday party or meal, fill half your plate with vegetables, 25% with protein, and 25% with whole grains and fiber-rich carbohydrates.
Choose beverages wisely at holiday parties. Juices, sodas, seasonal coffee drinks, and alcoholic beverages can be high in calories and sugar. Keep your beverages simple without sugary additives.
Avoid stress eating, which can be common during the holidays. Find other, healthy ways to channel stress, such as taking a walk, reading, or a hot bath.
Maintain proper hydration throughout the day. Hydrating helps to regulate body temperature, aids in digestion and is vital for many bodily processes.
Be sure to get enough sleep as this enhances mood, increases memory, boosts immunity, and decreases weight gain.
Craft a doable fitness routine. Be realistic about your exercise goals, starting off with scheduling two workouts a week and building from there. Find a workout partner to help keep you accountable.
If you can’t get a full workout in, commit to moving at least 20 minutes a day. Get creative with your movement, taking family walks outdoors or sledding with the kids.
When shopping, try interval training. Do fast walking for 30 seconds, then slow down and repeat.
Track your health and fitness progress, using a food log, activity tracker, or fitness watch to assess daily progress and patterns.
During this holiday season, focus on quality time with your family and friends first and foremost. Then, keep these tips in mind for a healthier holiday season!
