5 Ways to Stay Healthy During the Holidays
The holiday season makes it hard to stick to a healthy routine. Indulgent foods are everywhere, the season creates added stress and holiday activities can push your exercise routine off your schedule. It’s also a season for spreading sickness, and this year has created new challenges with COVID-19 on top of flu and colds. For all of these reasons, it’s a time of year to put extra effort into staying healthy. Here are five tips to help with that goal.
1. Eat With Moderation in Mind
Let’s be real. It’s nice to enjoy holiday treats and indulgent meals with loved ones. And holiday food is just as much about sharing love and traditions as it is about the food itself. In many cases, you’ll eat according to other people’s plans this time of year rather than your own. In other words, it’s understandable to stray from your normal nutrition routine during the holidays. The best game plan is to find moderation. Here are some tips:
- Enjoy treats without having too many
- Use portion control with indulgent meals
- Eat fewer calories and healthier foods before and after holiday meals to create balance
- Bring a healthy dish to a holiday gathering
2. Be Flexible With Your Exercise Routine
The holidays put extra activities and obligations on your plate, which can leave little time for things like exercise. Instead of making exercise expendable, try to be creative about fitting it in, even if that means switching things up from your normal routine. Here are ideas:
- Go to the gym during a free block of time, such as your lunch break
- Exercise together during family time rather than making it separate
- Find everyday ways to be more active, such as taking the stairs and parking farther away from stores
3. Find Time to Unwind
Don’t let your mental and emotional health go out the window. Focus on maintaining these aspects of your overall health, which will also help you stay on track with exercise and stick to healthier eating. Take moments for “me time” and incorporate stress-boosting activities into your everyday life, even for a few minutes at a time. For example:
- Talk to friends
- Take deep breaths
- Listen to calming music
- Do something funny
- Take a relaxing bath
- Do a calming exercise like yoga
4. Take Precautions
During cold and flu season, as well as an uptick in COVID-19 cases throughout the nation, now is the time to take precautions against getting yourself and others sick. Healthy activities like good nutrition and exercise can help boost your immune system, while you can also follow coronavirus guidelines. During this holiday season, it may be wise to see loved ones less than in years past or to take extra holiday precautions if you do see them, such as:
- Limiting the number of guests
- Wearing a mask when possible
- Avoiding touch
5. Make a Commitment to Health
The best way to stay healthy during the holidays is to simply make it a priority. It becomes too easy to throw aside health habits and goals this time of year, but it’s important to keep them front-and-center. Try these ideas:
- Add exercise sessions to your schedule and stick to it
- Make some of your holiday dishes healthy ones
- Have a plan to balance holiday indulgences with healthy behaviors and to get yourself back on track
Even though the holidays make it challenging to stay healthy, this list gives a number of ways to make health a priority. Your gym can encourage healthy holidays for your staff and members, and provide a safe environment to help them keep up with optimal health and wellness.
