When it comes to health and nutrition, the holidays often seem like a lost cause. No matter what you do, you always seem to start the year feeling like a victim of the potluck and back to square one. This year, I want you to use these 6 simple strategies that will allow you to enjoy the season and have no regrets on January 1!
Cook Ahead
Start thinking ahead in October and November and double the recipe any time you are cooking. Then freeze the extra portions. When the craziness of the holidays hit, you will have plenty of pre-cooked, homemade food on hand.
Automate Your Food
Getting to the grocery store can sometimes seem impossible during the holiday season. Set up an autoship through amazon.com, vons.com, etc. so you know that at the very least you have some healthy staples coming your way. You can also sign up for a juice or meal delivery service that will deliver food directly to your door once a week. Remember, this doesn’t have to be all of your meals, perhaps just breakfast or dinner. Anything that will fill in the holes and set you up for success during the holiday season.
Only Eat What You Love
The holidays are full of a lot of wonderful food…and a lot of crap. Oftentimes we eat out of obligation or simply because it’s there. Only eat the food you really, really enjoy and skip the rest.
Focus on Fruits & Vegetables
Fruits & Vegetables can become almost non-existent over the holiday season. This is a shame because they contain the key nutrients that keeps our immune system strong! Make a commitment to have vegetables be a part of your day everyday.
Don’t Use a Few Celebrations as an Excuse to Throw Away the Whole Month
There are 42 days between Thanksgiving and New Year. So even if you are the most popular person on the planet and have a party every single night, you still have 168 meals/snacks to make healthy decisions.
Start Each Day With a Win
Studies have shown that the first thing we do in the morning sets the tone for the entire day. So set yourself up for success by setting an attainable goal and doing it every single morning. Examples could be having warm water with lemon, a 7 minute workout or 5 minutes of mindful breathing. Make sure to make it so simple that you can’t possibly skip it.
Remember, the holidays don’t have to be all or nothing. Put these strategies in place so you can enjoy every second of the holiday season, but not at the expense of your health! Happy holidays!
