Hi guys! Can you believe it’s already the middle of December?! Crazy. This is such a great time of year, but for some reason it can also be a time where a lot of us neglect health and fitness. We know there will be delicious food everywhere we go, and that our schedule will be really busy, so we give up easily and say ‘ahh who cares… I’ll get back on my game after the New Year’. We stop taking good care of our bodies and justify it by saying ‘it’s the holidays’. I’m here to remind you (and myself) that it doesn’t have to be that way!
In this post I will share a few simple ways we can stay healthy and balanced during this season.
1. Don’t be All or Nothing
This is really just another way of saying stay balanced… but I feel like this way makes it more tangible and easier to grasp. We always talk about being balanced but what does it really mean?
Listen to your body, and don’t do things just because you think you “should” or “shouldn’t”. Try to stay away from both extreme ends of the spectrum. You don’t want to deprive yourself from all of the holiday treats and miss time with family and friends because you’re stressing over when you can get to the gym, but you also don’t want to go the other way. Don’t do what I mentioned earlier and say oh well, I haven’t been exercising or eating well so why change that now? I’ll wait ’til the New Year. There’s no need to be extreme; it’s in balance and a little bit of everything that our bodies are happiest. Look at it as a way of taking care of yourself this holiday season!
2. Keep Your Immune System Strong
With all the sugar around us during this time of year, our immune system is really vulnerable. We can get sick a lot quicker than usual. Every time we consume sugar, our immune system cells are actually hindered for a few hours and can’t as effectively do what they need to do to keep us healthy. In order to combat this, it’s a good idea to eat more immune-boosting foods. Add fruits and veggies that are rich in Vitamin C & E (oranges, lemons, kale, broccoli, spinach, etc.), garlic, ginger, turmeric (I take a supplement every day), green tea, and more. Drinking at least 64oz. of water a day will also help your immune system. I use my hydroflask to make sure I’m getting enough!
3. Get Creative with Workouts
With relatives in town, holiday parties left and right, and for a lot of us cold weather conditions, it is really hard to want to set aside time to get moving. If you can remember this you’ll be golden – you don’t need to spend an hour at the gym or go to a workout class for it to count. Going for a quick walk around the neighborhood with a family member or friend, even if it’s only 20 minutes long, is still a way to be active and get your heart rate up and blood flowing.
Get creative with it! A fun idea would be to walk in a neighborhood that’s lit up with Christmas lights. This 100% relates to #1… avoiding being all or nothing is important with workouts too! See how it all comes down to balance?
4. Find Healthy(ish) Holiday Treats
During this season there are yummy sweets and snacks everywhere we turn. Instead of indulging every single time and not giving any thought to the ingredients, there are EASY ways we can take better care of our bodies! Finding recipes that use healthy alternative ingredients can make a big difference and taste just as good! Enjoy the ones that aren’t the best for you once in awhile, but mix it up with some healthier recipes. Pinterest is a great resource for this. Check out my holiday board where I’ll be pinning some great ideas throughout the season!
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Hopefully you got something out of this post and feel more empowered to stay balanced! Part of why I wrote this was to remind myself of these things so I’m right there with you guys.
Have a wonderful holiday season with your families and friends! I have some more fun holiday content coming your way (DIYs, more gift guides, outfits, etc.) so stay tuned!
XO Sorelle