I call the season in between Halloween and Easter The Health Gauntlet because there is sugar everywhere and if you're not careful, you're gonna get hit somewhere at some point.
Personally, I think one of the toughest days of the gauntlet is on Thanksgiving. It’s bad enough there’s temptation everywhere, but most people throw all of their healthy habits out the window all while trying to masquerade probably some of the worst meat on Earth, Turkey.
So to help you get through the gauntlet we call the holiday season while still staying on track with your health and wellness journey here are 4 tips on how to stay healthy during the holidays (while still enjoying them).
1.) Make time for movement on the holidays
On holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, a lot of people think ”I’m off” and they spend the entire day, resting, drinking and eating. To avoid that from happening, make time for some movement early in the morning or afternoon.
This is super important if you plan on indulging in some food or beverages that may not be the best for you body because the movement puts you in a great place to recover quicker the following days. It also lets you eat guilt free because by this point you’ve built up this pool of calories so you're actually never actually falling off.
The movement doesn’t have to be extreme or strenuous, a walk will work just fine. The most important thing is that you’re moving!
2.) Plan Ahead
The holidays always bring up new and sometimes unexpected events. Final last minute pushes on projects and different tasks you have to do for work, social gatherings and get togethers like Friendsgiving sometimes multiple times a month or parental obligations like school performances, events and activities.
All of these are very common and could easily become more of a priority in your life that you end up putting your health on the back burner. That’s why planning ahead and staying organized is so important this time of year. Of course there will still be unexpected events and responsibilities that pop up from time to Tim, but it’ll be much more manageable when everything else is structures.
3.) Fasting the day of any party or event
This is a big one for me, especially on Thanksgiving! If you're going to have a very large meal it’s important to prepare for that. Is it really necessary to start tailgating at 9:00 AM? Or to have breakfast at 9 , lunch at 12 and then end it all with a big dinner?
Fasting the day of is a great way to prepare your gut for what’s to come so your body can recover quicker. If you really can't fast, then have something light and let the hunger build so that you can actually allot all of your calories to that meal and once again enjoy it guilt free.
4.) Prioritize Your Mental Health
This one is often overlooked, but your mental health plays a hug role in your physical health. Stress leads to changes in how much you eat and a reliance on drugs and alcohol to cope.
So if the holidays are notoriously stressful for you, make a plan for it. If Uncle Joe is gonna start acting up or mom’s gonna bring up a topic you just don’t want to talk about it’s better to know what you’ll say or do rather than just winging it.
So have some preliminary conversations so your blood pressure doesn't get so high and you don’t start relying on 4-5 drinks just to cope.
These four things are a crucial part of my holiday routine and they help me have much more enjoyable, successful Thanksgivings, Christmases, etc.
I hope they can help you too! If you’d like additional support, tips and resources then you’re welcome to join The Good Life’s private community on Facebook where we help you live your best life by focusing on your health and wealth habit.