The holidays are here, and all is merry and bright...right?
Unfortunately for many of us, the holidays can be less merry and more scary. From putting on extra holiday weight to emotional burnout to avoiding seasonal illnesses, the pressure of the holiday season can be difficult for anyone.
But it doesn't have to be that way! If you want to enjoy this holiday season to the fullest, you just need some helpful tips to survive the holiday diets and stress. Here are our best tips to slim down, chill out, and stay healthy this holiday season!
Holiday Diet Survival Tips
The holidays are a time of indulgence. But if you’re hoping to maintain a healthy weight - or even lose a few pounds - holiday spreads pose a hearty diet challenge. Here are our holiday eating tips to help you stay trim and even reverse holiday weight gain.
#1- Eat before you celebrate
One way to immediately throw your diet off track is to hit the holiday parties on an empty stomach. Showing up hungry will cause you to eat more of those tempting treats than you normally would. Plus, skipping meals to save calories throws your blood sugar off-balance and sabotages your metabolism.
Instead, fill up on a small healthy meal at home before your holiday parties or events. A veggie-packed salad, smoothie, or soup (like Dr. Danielle’s Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Soup) are great ways to fuel up with something nutritious. This allows you to snack on your party favorites without going overboard.
#2 - Give away treats and leftovers
Hosting holiday parties or dinners often means lots of leftovers - especially if you host pot-luck style. Prepare to send guests home with tempting leftovers instead of allowing them to call your name from the fridge for days. Gather several takeaway containers and pack everyone a “leftover lunch” for the following day.
#3 - Be generous with your baking
Many people love to bake around the holidays, but they don’t want to end up with a tempting cabinet full of cookies and cakes. Instead, enjoy a few of your treats and give the rest of your goodies away as gifts. Package them up for neighbors, colleagues, or family and friends. You’ll brighten their day and maintain a healthy diet at the same time!
#4 - Use the 80/20 rule
Indulging in holiday foods is one of the best things about the holidays - as long as you keep your balance. When you follow the “80/20 rule,” you can still enjoy all your nostalgic favorites and stay healthy.
How does it work? Fill your plate about 80% of the way with healthy foods like salad, roasted vegetables, and lean meats. Then, feel free to enjoy small portions of the more decadent holiday foods you love. When you fill up on the good stuff, you’ll likely find that you just need a bite of your higher-calorie favorites anyway!
Holiday Stress Survival Tips
The holidays should be a time of joy and celebration. All too often, however, it can be overwhelming. Work stress, financial pressures, family disputes, and other end-of-year stressors can quickly put a damper on anyone’s holiday spirit. Thankfully, a few daily habits can help you stay merry and mindful all season long.
Meditate daily
Meditation is one of the most impactful habits you can do to reduce your overall stress. Studies show that a daily meditation habit significantly reduces feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety. Meditation can directly improve your health during the holidays, too. For instance, meditating before a difficult family gathering can help you keep your calm, while meditating before a meal can help you eat more mindfully.
Ready to try meditation? Start with this guided track, a Balancing Meditation for the Holidays.
Stay active with regular exercise
It can be hard to find the time, energy, and motivation to exercise during the holiday season. But if you find yourself overwhelmed and stressed out during the holidays, a good sweat is just what you need. Research proves that exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress, improve your focus, and boost your mood.
Aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes, three to five times a week. If you haven’t exercised regularly for a while, start with gentle exercises like walking, yoga, or swimming. Then, work your way up to more moderate activities to release tension, burn fat, and stay healthy!
Holiday Wellness Survival Tips
Between the fun, food, and chaos of the holidays, it’s easy to fall off track with your wellness routine. Here are some tips to support your gut and immune health over the holidays so you can prevent illnesses and enjoy every merry moment to the fullest.
Support your immune system
Between winter colds, flus, and Covid-19, now is a crucial time to support your body’s immune system. Eating healthy, exercising, and taking time to rest will give your immune system plenty of support to help you ward off seasonal illnesses.
To give yourself an even better immune boost, take a daily dose of Dr. Danielle’s Elderberry Immune Assist. This supplement uses the power of Vitamin C, elderberry, zinc, and other vitamins to enhance your body’s immune function.
Restore you gut health
If you want to stay healthy, trim, and resilient this holiday season, start by getting your gut in balance! A healthy gut microbiome is essential for whole-body health. Eat a wide variety of healthy vegetables, whole grains, and quality proteins. Be sure to get plenty of fiber and drink water to keep your digestion regular. Increase your intake of probiotic-rich fermented foods like sauerkraut, kim chi, kefir, Greek yogurt, and miso.
A simple way to improve your gut health is to add a daily dose of Gut Assist to your daily habits. Dr. Danielle’s Gut Assist is formulated to restore the healthy lining of your gut, enhance your gut flora, and improve digestion.
Have a Healthy, Fabulous Holiday!
Too many people spend the holidays feeling stressed about their diet, weight, and health. Thankfully, you don’t have to. With these tips, you’ll not only survive the holiday season, but thrive in every moment. Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday!
