How to Enjoy the Holiday & Stay Healthy this Holiday Season

I’m the biggest believer that during the holidays you can enjoy AND still eat healthfully. I used to be the worst, restricting everything and I swear it totally inhibited me from actually enjoying the damn holiday because I was SO worried about the food and the weight gain and the calorie counting. It was exhausting. And I know there are people, including clients of mine on the other end of the spectrum, where the holidays feel like permission to gorge themselves and they end up feeling sick because they’ve eaten so much greasy, heavy food in one sitting and often times that derails them from healthy eating all the way through Christmas. It doesn’t have to be either extreme. You can find a balance somewhere in the middle.

In this newsletter, I want to give you some advice on how to navigate the holidays and more or less “stay on track” both mentally and physically so you don’t feel like you are spiraling out of control between now and New Years.

1. Remember your mental health is just as important as your physical health.

If you’re someone who struggles with body image and restriction, use this holiday season to give yourself permission to try some foods you’ve been afraid of. If you never have mashed potatoes, give yourself a little scoop and slowly enjoy every damn bite as a way to explore releasing fears around foods. It’s an exercise I do with a lot of clients.

If you’re on the other end of the spectrum and you’re more prone to overindulging during the holidays, it’s time to understand where your resistance is coming from in terms of staying on track. Is it mental (you don’t understand what healthy foods are), physical (intense cravings), emotional (foods and behaviors around food that make you feel comforted), or social (friends and family influencing your behavior around food)? The more you understand about the way you tick, the better you will be able to choose differently and create habits that help you do so.

2. Plan Ahead.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. People who forget to plan then plan to forget. It’s easy to think that you’ll be able to wing it, but this time of year, winging it normally means going off the rails. You plan your holiday parties, so why not plan your meal planning. I schedule my meal prep this time of year because otherwise it doesn’t get done, I like Sundays but do what works for you. Make an appointment to plan for yourself, it will set you up for success and de-stress you in the long run. It’s always good to have healthy options in the fridge, especially to make some small meals before parties.

3. Let go of the food guilt.

Worrying and regrets don’t get anywhere except more stressed out. So, you ate the indulgent thing, move on. This doesn’t mean losing all control, say F it and keep going. It means, stop having regrets about what you ate, stop dwelling on it, and instead, move on and back to your healthy habits. The more you practice this, the easier it gets to separate your self-worth from the “junk” food. Foods are not “good” or “bad” they all have value, and sometimes having a piece of pie with family is the value that food offers.

4. Have a support system.

When you have friends and family to lean on who have the same goals, it makes staying motivated so much easier. Find friends to go for a walk with. Do a WBK challenge workout with a family member. Make a healthy pie with your kids (recipe on the site!). Whoever it is that will be there for you and help hold you accountable, recruit them. Chances are they could probably use your help too, just ask.

5. Keep it simple.

This isn’t the time of year to overcomplicate your health, nutrition, or fitness. Instead, find ways to simplify it. That’s why my recipes, workouts, and meditations are short and sweet, things you can do in under 30 minutes for the most part. If you’re anything like me, you need all the time you can get during the holidays. It’s not the time of year to set unrealistic and lofty goals. Instead, keep things simple and make small changes if anything. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure, it just means you're human and want to enjoy the holidays reasonably.

6. LESS STRESS.

Ok, as a person who is easily overwhelmed I know this is easier said than done, but that’s why prioritizing your peace is more important than ever this season and why I designed a new meditation for you every day of this 30-day challenge. Stressing out about what you ate, or not getting your workout in during the busiest time of the year is just as bad if not worse than doing/not doing said things. What are your stress triggers (work, family, finances, diet/food/movement)? From there you can figure out ways to manage them better.

7. Remember the Basics.

If all else fails, remember the basics.

• Drink water
• Sleep
• At least 50% of your plate should be fruit and veggies
• Move when you can
• Take care of your mind

The simpler, the better. Health shouldn’t be complicated. You don’t need to count every last macro to be healthy this holiday season. And for the love of all things holidays, enjoy yourself a little bit, treat yourself, when you do, you’re much more likely to spread the holiday joy.