As the hustle of the holiday season creeps in, remember that you have a choice as to how you spend your time and energy! Here are five ways you can make your holiday season a little healthier, no brussels sprouts required.
1. Take time to appreciate what you have.
In this seasonof excess, it might seem unconventional to stop and take stock of what you have – after all, Thanksgiving already passed! However, giving yourself a quiet moment every day to appreciate your fitness progress, your talents, your friends, your family, and whatever other good things you might find when you look at your life can keep you from going overboard at the mall, buffet, or office party. (Bonus: you might just find yourself with lower blood pressure, a stronger immune system, and better hormonal balance – check out the science.)
2. Healthify some of your recipes.
Not all of them, just some of them. Swap some of the butter in your next baking project for applesauce, substitute spaghetti squash or spiralized carrots for noodles one night, and cut the sugar in nearly anything you’re cooking this month. If you have a recipe that you want made over, email it to me and I will try to help! Making some of your choices healthier than normal will help compensate for the impending feasts.
3. Take a night off.
Plan a quiet night in on purpose to unwind from your busy schedule. Play a few holiday movies on Netflix or crank up some free holiday tunes on Spotify, set up a healthy snack tray (try carrot and cucumber sitcks, bell pepper slices, and lightly steamed asparagus spears accompanied by a mix of 1 cup of plain greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon dill, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and some fresh black pepper, or apple and baked sweet potato slices with 1/2 cup greek yogurt mixed with 2 teaspoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon of honey, and a sprinkle of ground ginger), and keep it low-key. Pajamas optional but recommended.
4. Get moving.
You probably need the stress-relief and endorphin boost from a challenging workout more than ever right now! I’m teaching a variety of classes (even some free ones) around the Houston area this month, and I’ve got tips for some good 10-minute activities you can do on your own here. There are also a few quick workouts you might want to try on the Tiny Fitness Pinterest 🙂
5. Let it go.
You’re not going to have a magazine-perfect holiday season. Real life is still going on (as it should be!) and you probably have other priorities than handcrafting kissing balls for every doorway or carefully flooding the outlines on 200 intricate sugar cookies. Do your best each day and then let the rest go. Didn’t move the elf to the next shelf? Let it go. Ate too many cookies? Let it go and get back on track. Can’t find the exact doodad that Aunt Matilda asked for? There’s always a gift card. Simplify and watch your happiness blossom!
Want more healthy holiday tips? Check out the Holiday Survival Guide!
