Healthy habits and the holiday season aren't exactly a match made in heaven, right?
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I've been hearing from lots of people who want to know how they can live a healthier holiday season.
Here are some of their questions — maybe you'll find them interesting too:
- How do I stay away from all of the sweets and yummy desserts?
- How can I maintain my weight with increased alcohol consumption and parties?
- What's a healthy appetizer to make for a party that tastes good?
- If I'm at a party, what should I eat/drink?
And…
- How can I manage my family of origin without 10 gallons of wine? That's the kind of tip I'm looking for.
So What Can We Do About It?
These are all great questions — and I love this conversation. Because as challenging as the holidays may be for our health, I see a lot of people who want to change things up this year.
And I don't necessarily mean sweeping changes — such as going on a booze-free, sugar-free detox for the whole month of December.
Who wants to do that?!
I mean making small changes, and adopting healthier habits to balance out the treats and parties you'll inevitably encounter and enjoy.
Living a healthy lifestyle during the holidays can definitely be challenging, but it's not impossible! And it can be a lot easier if you have a plan — along with some key strategies at your disposal.
That's what my Healthier Holidays program is all about — I provide meal plans, recipes, online coaching, and other resources to help people create a framework and personalized system for healthier habits during the holiday party season.
Healthier Holidays is all about being flexible enough to accommodate busy social and travel schedules, while also employing part-time detox strategies to help balance our bodies — and keep the holidays from becoming a complete train wreck.
If you're sick of making yourself sick during the holidays — all the sweet treats, the drinks, the late nights, the parties — then I hope you'll join me for the Healthier Holidays program. I'll be posting details about the program later this week.
In the meantime, here are some tips to get you started on a healthier holiday season…
My Top 3 Tips for a Healthier Holiday Season
1. Embrace the part-time detox — Just because it’s the holidays, you don’t need to indulge every possible second of every possible day. Look at your calendar, and determine which days you can prepare healthy meals and snacks at home. On these days, try your best to avoid alcohol, refined sugar, dairy, and refined carbs (crackers, bread, etc.). That way, your body can recover and balance itself when you’re not in party mode.
2. Eat your veggies at every meal — Increasing your vegetable intake during the holidays is a simple yet powerful tactic to help your body detoxify and recalibrate. Vegetables are naturally lower in sugar and calories, and high in fiber and antioxidants. The fiber will fill you up, keep your digestion happy, and shuttle toxins out of the body. The antioxidants and other nutrients boost the immune system, help relieve stress, and promote healing in the body. Plus, if you keep prioritizing the veggies, they start to “crowd out” the other unhealthy items you might be tempted to put on your plate.
3. Start your day with a green smoothie — Incorporating green smoothies into your day is a fast and simple way to boost your veggie intake, and literally flood the body with nutrients. In addition, it supports a healthy mindset, and sets the tone to help you make healthier decisions throughout the day.
Download Your Free Healthier Holidays Recipe Sampler
I've created a free Healthier Holidays Recipe Sampler for you! These are recipes you would use for a “detox day” — a day when you're not attending parties, and you have some time to prep and cook at home.
Stringing together these mini-detoxes — maybe 2, 3 or 4 days in a row — is a powerful practice to have in your toolbox this season. I hope this method, as well as the recipes, comes in handy as you try to live a healthier holiday season this year.
The Healthier Holidays Recipe Sampler includes the following recipes:
- Ginger Pear Smoothie
- Kale Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing
- Coconut Ginger Soup with Greens
- Spicy Seed Mix (this makes a great salad topping, party snack and hostess gift!)
- Golden Milk “Latte” with Turmeric and Ginger