Holidays may feel daunting when you are aiming to make lasting lifestyle changes, but the encouraging things is you can 100% enjoy all the parties and festive foods without sacrificing your health & long term progress! Here are a few tips I’ll be bringing with me into this holiday weekend to feel my best-while having a bit of fun too!

Drink Water

During holidays, one of the first things I see go from client logs is water! When we are in our normal day to day routine our hydration can really become second nature but when that routine gets shifted (during a holiday weekend for example) our hydration strategy can easily go out the window. Dehydration can lead to sugar cravings, fatigue, gut distress and imbalanced hunger cues. This is also heightened during the summer holidays when we are outside in the summer heat. Before indulging in all the party festivities, I recommend drinking a glass of water and waiting a few minutes for your body to absorb it. You can then go into the meal with proper hydration status and not just “please water me” signals. In addition to a detoxification tool and hunger gauge, water can also help improve energy levels when you’re hustling from one event to the other. Aim for half your body weight in oz on a daily basis. It may also be helpful to set little reminders on your phone throughout the day or even find a hydration accountability buddy at your party.

Eat Dark Leafy Greens

Think Spinach, Kale, Arugula, Cabbage, Mustard Greens & Watercress. These foods are complete powerhouses to fight belly bloat, relieve stress, tame toxins, support your immunity/gut health, and even provide that holiday glow. My favorite way to incorporate greens is through a pineapple spinach protein smoothie at the beginning of my day. I also like to start a holiday meal with some greens, like a pomegranate, avocado spinach salad, before digging into other options. Often, I find myself craving something on the healthier side after a quick dose of nutrients. This follows the “Crowd Out Your Plate” approach which emphasis first filling your plate with nutrient dense options before filling up on filler foods. Of course, I encourage having fun foods as well! This is not the place for all or none-all foods can fit.

Prioritize Movement

With the hustle of the holidays, often our workout is the first thing to get tossed out the door. We claim we are too stressed, too tired, and too sluggish (which may all be true), but we fail to realize a little movement can actually help alleviate those feelings. You don’t have to workout for hours on end for results like better digestion, mood, and energy. Aim for at least thirty minutes daily-preferably in the fresh air- to reap the benefits of getting that heart rate up. A little movement can work wonders and keep you on track to maintaining a healthy balance during holiday gatherings. This doesn’t have to be your typical workout scene. Go for a nice long walk or bike, paddle board on the lake, roller blade with the kids..just get that body moving for some feel good endorphins. By setting the day up with movement, healthy decisions start to stack up.

Practice Mindfulness

Picture it, you’re at the holiday buffet table, surrounded by delicious treats. You pile your plate high with cookies, cakes, chips, and dips all to sit down and realize you don’t really care about 80% of the food you selected but grabbed it because it was there. You proceed to eat the entire plate like it was your last meal (because I mean, it’s on your plate, right?) all to leave the party feeling sluggish and disgusted in yourself. Now picture yourself, at the holiday buffet table, surrounded by delicious treats, but instead of grabbing a little bit of everything, you scan the options for what you are truly craving. You select those options, are mindful of the tastes and textures of your treats, and leave the party satisfied and grateful you were able to partake in your favorite holiday selections. If you want the cookies, eat the cookies! Just remember to be mindful and listen to your body’s queues. The beauty of balanced living is the fact you can have those treats on ANY day of the year, so don’t feel pressure to fill up on it now or never.