5 Healthy Holiday Tips and Tricks
Blogmas Day 14
Today I am excited because my fabulous rockstar cousin, Susanna, is taking over Coffee With Keri!
Let me tell you a little bit about Suze:
She is tall and blonde
She currently resides in New York
She is a competitive weight lifter
She loves peacocks, the color purple, sunflowers, Friends, and Schitt’s Creek
She recently launched her nutritional coaching business, A Healthy Balance. You can follow along on Instagram and subscribe to her blog, where she shares healthy tips, tricks, and recipes to help you live a more healthy and balanced life.
I tell you this because Suze knows her stuff and when I asked if she’d be interested in sharing some healthy tips & tricks for this holiday season, she immediately said yes and provided the below content.
As you’ll soon find out, Suze shares specific tips that are realistic and helpful, and I know you’re going to love what she has to say. Enjoy!
The holiday season can present a lot of stressors for people. Even if you’re one of those people who just LOVES Christmas, it can be hard to stay present and enjoy your time with family and friends when you’re consumed with guilt about everything you want to eat or that you may be out of your normal routine and a little less active than usual.
Well, first off, let me just remind you that ONE (or two or three) days off of your normal eating and workout routine is NOT going to ruin you. However, if you want to keep working on having a healthy, balanced viewpoint toward food, and your overall health, here are a few TIPS and TRICKS so your WHOLE day (and not just your belly) is full.
1. Set an Intention!
Arguably the most important and DEFINITELY the first you should start with.
Without setting your daily intentions beforehand it’s easy to walk through the whole day mindlessly. So PICK A TIME, either the night before or the morning of whatever holiday festivities you are attending and just sit quietly with yourself. Breathe. And think about what you want to think and how you want to feel at the end of the day.
Do you want to feel accomplished? Proud? Happy? A little of all of them? Everyone may be slightly different but whatever it is you decide, work backward from there. Ask yourself what actions you have to take to make that happen and, as always, make them reasonable and attainable.
2. Move in the AM!
It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, just get your blood FLOWING! Whether it’s a walk or run, a group class, a quick lifting session or yoga...just get your body moving! This is good for your body AND your brain. It gives you a feeling of accomplishment before the day’s even really started, relieves stress and boosts energy for the day ahead.
3. Fill Up with Protein First!
I am NOT here to tell you things are “off limits” or “bad.” As you know, I don’t think that promotes a healthy viewpoint toward food. Biologically, however, simply eating sugar or drinking alcohol all day will generally give you a serious energy crash.
So, if you want to be able to stay present and enjoy your day, filling up on protein sources first is a good thing to keep in mind. Eggs or a protein shake in the AM, extra turkey or ham on your plate for dinner...things like that! It will keep you satiated for longer, help regulate your blood sugar and help keep away those jitters from just eating sugar, coffee or alcohol.
4. Drink Water!
Again, I am not here to tell you NOT to drink wine or egg nog or any of those delightful things! I bought two bottles of wine yesterday in fact! But being dehydrated can lead to feeling sluggish and overeating if you don’t stay aware.
If you want to avoid feeling that way just stay aware of how much water you’re drinking throughout the day. Simply drinking a CUP OF WATER before each meal and for each glass of wine you have (alcohol makes you dehydrated) will make you feel fuller and help keep you energized throughout the day!
5. Stay Thankful!
Being able to stay grateful throughout the day helps you stay present, grounded and positive, which will make your day that much more enjoyable all round. So tell someone at least ONE thing you’re genuinely truly grateful for!
BONUS: 6. HAVE FUN!
For real...have FUN! I understand how this time can be daunting to some but don’t forget...you’re an adult. You are capable of making your own decisions. So set your intentions. Stay present and don’t be ridden with guilt for something society tells you is “bad.” These aren’t rules, they’re simply helpful tips so you can stay mentally and physically alert to have the happiest and most well-rounded holiday possible.
YOU are the one in control…not the food.