12/20/2021
‘Tis the season for family, festivity, and food—lots of food. Temptations are everywhere, and parties and travel disrupt daily routines. What’s more, it all goes on for weeks.
Start the day right with a healthy breakfast. Get energized with a nutrient-dense breakfast to start your day. Check out the smoothie recipes in my Gut Healthy Recipes e-book.
Make fruits and vegetables part of your holiday plate. You start by eating the fruit/vegetables first in order to start filling up on nutritious calories before enjoying the other food.
Take 10 before taking seconds. It takes a few minutes for your stomach’s "I’m getting full" signal to get to your brain. After finishing your first serving of food, take a 10-minute break. Make conversation. Drink some water. Then recheck your appetite. You might realize you are full or want only a small portion of seconds.
Add exercise to the calendar. Just like you would schedule a holiday activity with your household, schedule time for exercise that you enjoy. Get outside for some fresh air, or stay warm inside and join me for virtual Pilates Mat Classes. Also, my favorite (and you can involve the family) is dancing. Put on your dancing (or walking) shoes. Dancing is a great way to work off some holiday calories. If you are at a family gathering, suggest a walk before the feast or even between dinner and dessert.
Remember to hydrate. It can be easy to forget to drink water during this busy time. The rule of thumb is half your body weight in ounces (If you weigh 100 lbs, that is 50 oz per day minimum). Another trick to staying hydrated is having a full glass of water when you wake up, before bed and before each meal. If you drink alcohol, have a glass of water or juice-flavored seltzer in between drinks.
Although food is an integral part of the holidays, put the focus on family and friends, laughter and cheer. If balance and moderation are your usual guides, it’s okay to indulge or overeat once in a while.
Link in bio to e-books and more.
Happy Holidays!
Be nourished.