For many of us, the holiday season comes with a bit of anxiety. Many holidays revolve around food, so it’s typically the time of year that we fall off track and find ourselves packing on a few extra pounds. Even if you are someone that strives to eat healthy every day, you might consume a few extra calories over the holidays – and that’s okay! Part of living a healthy lifestyle is balance. 

There are still plenty of ways that you can indulge a little and enjoy your favorite dishes while staying on track. 

Tip #1

Enjoy your favorite once-a-year dishes, but don’t go overboard. Allow yourself one serving of your favorite broccoli casserole while also loading up on the fresh vegetables and fruit. It’s easy to find yourself saying “It’s the holidays, I can go up for seconds and thirds!” However, with that mentality, you’ll wake up the next morning feeling overstuffed and may struggle to get back on track. By allowing yourself to enjoy your favorite dishes without overfilling your plate, you’ll be satisfied and feel guilt-free after dinner. If you know you’re just not going to be able to reel it in for a few of your favorites, it could be smart to learn to treat yourself in a healthy way with a few made-over dishes.  

Tip #2

Keep up your exercise routine. Once the cold weather starts to roll in, it’s sometimes hard to get out of bed in the early hours of the morning to hit the gym or go for a run before work. Instead of skipping your workouts altogether and finding yourself in a rut after the holidays with the inevitable “, I’m going to work out every day, twice a day” New Year’s Resolution, change up your usual routine for a few weeks. Maybe instead of dragging yourself to the gym every morning, invest in a membership to a kickboxing studio for three months, or a power yoga studio. Or try an at-home workout which can be more efficient since your time is usually at a premium during the busy holidays. By treating yourself to a new workout routine, you’ll be excited to hop out of bed in the morning and work your muscles. 

Tip #3

Treat yourself! The holidays are no fun if you’re constantly worrying about falling off of your daily meal routine. If you want to have leftovers for lunch instead of a big salad, go for it! Just stick to your portion sizes and make sure to have a nutrient-dense breakfast and dinner and maybe a workout out in the afternoon.