How to stay healthy during the holidays: 5 tips!
I don’t know about you but I certainly struggle with figuring out how to stay healthy during the holidays and with Christmas literally right around the corner, saying on track is hard. All those Christmas party invitations, free flowing prossecco and food who can resist right?
So I’ve come up with 5 top tips on how to stay healthy during the holidays without sacrificing your sanity or feeling left out of the festivities.
1. Don’t skip your workout
I never really deprive myself of the things I love to eat, especially during the holidays, which is why it is so important for me to workout. I like to feel good when I work out, even when I’m working out at home, so I get all my gear from Ryderwear. People seem to be scared of the term ‘working out’, but this doesn’t necessarily have to mean go big or go home. A simple search for home workout routines will give you some ideas of the sort of things to do. It’s important to keep active so as to continue burning calories and not accumulate any excess unwanted pounds.
I’m a big fan of quick but effective workouts like my these quick exercise tips for building a toned tush.
2. Drink more water!
This is probably the easiest thing you can do for yourself to help your body adjust to all the crap and booze you’re abusing it with. Make a point of starting your day off with a glass of water. I keep bottle by my bedside table, so when I wake up I remember to drink.
Drinking more water will help to flush out the toxins out of your body quicker. A great trick that I do, is to alternate between drinking a glass of water and alcohol when I am out on the town. Alcohol is so dehydrating, so drinking water in-between helps take the pressure from the liver having to work extra hard. You’ll also wake up with less of a hangover the next day which is always a bonus.
I like to jazz up my water with different flavours just so it doesn’t get boring. Sometimes i’ll add lemon, cucumber + mint, strawberries, you get the idea right? It just keeps things fun and keeps me on track with my water consumption thrust the day.
3. Pick healthy snacks
I love how in 2017, it is actually super easy now to substitute naughty treats for healthier options. If you are anything like me, (snack queen) then I suggest you try to avoid the stuff that’s going to sabotage your course.
I personally like to have some snacks of my own handy in my bag, so I am not tempted to eat all the foods I am trying to avoid. I recently discovered Ginnis in a Box and I absolutely love them. The convenience of having snacks I can grab on the go is very exciting to me.
This product was provided to me free of charge from the company in order to review it. However the opinions expressed in this review are independent and my own.
I’m so busy most of the time, so it’s easier for me to get a subscription service that delivers what I want straight to my door hassle free, every month. Getting a subscription also means saving 20% compared to buying individual packs, which is a bonus really.
They have 4 options you can choose from;
- Nut box that has an assortment of nuts with different flavours. My favourite is the honey cashews and the chilli peanuts.
- Raw Nuts – these are my absolute go-to when it comes to getting a quick healthy protein fix.
- Dried fruits are actually my 7 year old son’s favourite and he usually monopolises all the fruit before I can get my hands on any of them. I love that I can share my box with him, which actually saves me money on buying him candy that is definitely not good for him.
- Sweets – I am not very familiar with these as I do usually tend to go down the ‘healthy’ route and since this entire blog post is about staying on track, I won’t delve any further.
I love the fact that there’s something in the box for the entire family. My boyfriend is a huge fan of the Piri Piri spicy cashew nuts and the beer nuts.
These snacks can also be ordered stand alone if you’re not too keen on committing to a subscription and they are super affordable too. In overall it is simply quick, tastes delicious and helps keep me from straying into the world of junk food
4. Practice mindful eating
It is very possible to indulge in the things you love without packing on the pounds. There are things that you can do, that seem so little but actually make such a difference, you wouldn’t believe. Have you ever made yourself a sandwich, sat down to watch tv and the next thing you’ve finished eating it, but you didn’t actually savour it? That happens so many times because we simply don’t practice mindful eating often enough.
Take the time to sit down at the table and concentrate on savouring each bite, taking your time in chewing and only eating till you’re satiated. Slowing down and taking your time actually gives the brain a chance to catch up and on the fact that you are satiated and therefore don’t need to eat anymore.
5. Take it easy
Be easy on yourself, do what you can but don’t obsess over this. A lot of small changes will make a huge difference to how you feel over the holidays. the most important thing to know is that the holidays are for spending time and having fun with our loved ones. Don’t be hard on yourself, find that balance and do what makes you happy because ultimately there is no one size fits all.
There you have it beautiful people, i’d love to know how YOU plan to stay on track during the holidays. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think of this article.
Until next time, Happy Holidays and remember to love the life you’re living!
Amanda xoxo
I’m dedicated to wellness, constantly striving to be my best self while inspiring others to do the same. Embracing my journey, flaws and all, I’m committed to biohacking for a healthier, longer life—so I can be a present mama for my kids and inspire others to authentically live their best lives too. 💫
I like the one about rehydrating during drinks; it’s easy, cheap and healthy, while at the same time, I guess, it would assist in curbing the impulse to binge if properly adhered to. Thanks for the tips!
NqoMkandla recently posted…LOVE IN ACTION-The Daily Exercise
Author
Thanks for stopping by and chiming in:-) x
I think for me the hardest party is never eating the sizes etc it is more what I snack on I am so bad. These are great tips
Anosa recently posted…The Christmas Tag 2017 ~ Tis the season
Author
Thanks for stopping by Anosa, picking healthy snacks can certainly be a challenge but its so worth it once you get the hang of it x
I swear by hot water with a slice of lemon as soon as I wake up, and also to keep me warm throughout the day. It adds such a glow to my skin too xx
Author
Thats such a good one Amelia, especially first thing to get the body and digestive system warmed up x
feel so motivated after reading this! Mindful eating is something I have to remind myself, as it is so easy to just grab things without thinking about why and if you’re even hungry
Rebecca | AAUBlog recently posted…Christmas Iced Sugar Cookies
Author
I’m totally guilty of mindless eating that I’ve had to take measures to get a bit more aware of what I eat and when I eat it.
Such a motivational post. Keeping myself hydrated is the most difficult part for me these days.
Author
It can be hard as we’re often so busy that we forget to stay hydrated.
We all over indulge at Christmas time so your idea of healthy snacks is fabulous not only at Christmas but all the year around.
Author
Thank you for reading Nayna, and you’re right its an all year round thing.
Christmas is definitely the worst time of year for me when it comes to over-indulging & over-eating! Love the healthy snack ideas! They’d definitely stop me snacking on chocolate every hour!
Sarah recently posted…Christmas Shopping With Morrisons
Author
Ah you’re Sarah, it’s just so much harder over christmas isn’t it. And who can resist chocolate?
I definitely need to make sure I am drinking enough water over the holidays! This is some great advice
Rebecca Smith recently posted…My Fitness Goals For 2018
Author
water is a critical one isn’t it? I always forget and constantly have to remind myself to drink more.
Mindful eating is a great one. We try to sit down around a table with the kids too so that we concentrate on what we’re eating rather than just shovelling it in in front of the TV.
Linda recently posted…Win The Holiday Of Your Dreams With Hallmark & Tesco Elf
Author
Sitting down at the table was something that a difference for us too x
Mindful eating is something I’ve just started doing this year after realising that oftentimes I was eating way past the point of feeling full, purely because it was in front of me! It’s quite amazing what a difference this simple change has made – health and comfort wise! x
I need to drink way more water anyway- not just in the holidays. How do you remember to drink when you are just so busy?
Picking healthy snacks is totally what i need to do!
*puts the salted peanuts down*
I am the worst at staying healthy during festive periods, there is just so much food I want to eat and the cold weather puts everyone off working out, I need to be stronger though!
Olivia recently posted…The best ways to cure a hangover during the holiday period! AD
I need to stick to some of these things myself. I think I’ll struggle to work out for about 4 days over the Christmas period but I need to do something x
Oooh these look great snacks. Mindful eating makes such a difference. Kaz
I definitely need to practice mindful eating and drink more water! I checked out Ginnis in a box after reading your post and I really love the range of treats that they have available!
I love the thought about mindful eating. I’m trying not to overindulge this year so this is really helpful.
Drinking more water is definitely something I need to remember to do all year round. Ultimately though, I think the most important thing is to do what makes you happy and not restrict yourself to much because of expectations or stress.
C x
I know I should listen to these tips. But I can’t help but pig out this time of year. So no promises from me lol
Amanda Rose recently posted…The Perfect Christmas Destinations Hiding Closer Than You Think
After so much indulgence of chocolate, sweet, treats, drinks and junk food during the Holidays, I am in need of following your tips to get myself back on track. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah Lifestyle recently posted…Book Review: On The Bright Side – The New Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen *
This time of year i’m really unhealthy. I just binge on junk and get hardly any exercise