Tips for Healthier Holidays

Nathan Kimmel, EP

The holidays can often mean a change in routine, making it a challenge to stay healthy. Here are some tips to help you stay on track and feel your best this holiday season and beyond.

1. If you’re traveling during the holidays, resistance bands are a great lightweight option for quick strength sessions. Try using cans of beans or water bottles as weights instead of dumbbells. You don’t need a gym to get a great workout!
2. Practice new family traditions that include activity! Try planning a family walk after holiday meals to help food settle and create more activity as a group. Goals are easier to establish and attain when you can do them together.
3. If the holidays mean a busy schedule, try planning shorter workouts to stay on track. Even 10–15 minutes of movement counts. Try bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, or chair dips during downtime between holiday activities. Circuits with resistance bands can be beneficial as well.
4. If the winter weather makes outdoor activity difficult, try using indoor facilities like malls or department stores. These places can offer a more comfortable environment for getting moving.
5. Practice gratitude when feeling overwhelmed with the holiday season. Write down three things you’re thankful for each day to boost mental well-being. Try writing in a daily journal. Reflecting gratitude can sometimes help reset your perspective and mental clarity.
6. Stay mindful of your hydration during the winter. Cold temperatures can suppress your thirst — set reminders or use a marked water bottle to help you maintain your water intake.
7. Create a plan and minimize the obstacles between you and the time set aside for exercise. If you plan to work out in the morning, set out your clothes and fill your water bottle the night before. In the morning, that will make things easier, require fewer decisions, and make taking time to exercise feel less difficult.
8. Practice balance during the indulgent holiday season by prioritizing what you place on your plate and also the order in which you eat different foods. Try making space for fruits and vegetables first, so they’re not relegated to the smallest space on the plate. Promote what your body needs first, then what it wants!
9. Holidays are often full of cozy time at home or social events that include food and drinks. Overindulged? Resume healthy habits right away, but move away from restriction. A few festive events won’t derail your health goals.