Healthy Holidays

 Healthy Holidays 

How to (try to) stay healthy and mindful during the holidays. 

1. How can you survive Holiday parties?  I always say it is not about the HOLIDAY itself but about the many days we celebrate before and after. This entire month is a celebration. …..There are 3 parties a week at school right now, friday night with friends, weekends with events, family and then there are the Xmas cookies. 

2. DON’ T FEEL BAD ABOUT IT !!    

Let "Eat, drink and be mindful" be your motto. Don't swear off holiday treats. Instead, give yourself permission

1. A few tips to enjoy yourself, but be a little more mindful this year:  

   1. Provide the healthier treat for class or work party, it also guarantees a healthy option for you and your kids. 

   2. Make it about the event, not the food.  Eat healthy before you go.  

   3. Fill up on the healthy foods first when you get there- eat your salad first or hit the veggie platter

   4. Set limits and probably go over it a little bit, but less damage done. A phrase I like to use is one and done: Works for all types of sugar: Juice, Cookies, cake, Cocktails, sweet tea.  I use it with my own kids and patients. They tell me that they hear my voice (in their head) when its time for refills (most of the time…)

   5. Keep to your regular meal schedule the day of your event- try not to skip meals to “save up for the big holiday dinner”. It actually better to have eaten normal all day and have a  healthy snack before you go because your metabolism will be working in your favor by the time you get there. You will actually have more energy for the party and to make better choices. Savor smaller portions of your favorites.

   6. Meditate, yoga or deep breathing. See prior post on stress. The holidays are fun but can be super stressful. Keep your cortisol under control with deep breathing exercises and simple stretches every day.

   7. Balance out the week with activity or on target meal plan all week prior to the event.   Make a small goal before the holiday: a small and easy one, but more than you are doing now.  Some easy examples:

      1. walk every day at lunch or after Dinner 

      2. I will get to the gym 3 times this week (maybe 2 )

      3. pick an event early in the year that you need to start training for now- like prepping for a 5K end of January or February

Happy Healthy Holidays. Halloween was the kickoff and there are monthly challenges with until Easter.

Good Luck and be well. xoxo Dr. B