​Are You Ready For The Holidays?

Here are my 9 favorite tips to help you stay sane this hoiday season.

Eat Smart!
Food is the name of the game this time of year, am I right? All of the delicious holiday meals and treats that you wait all year to have are right around the corner. To be quite honest — there is no reason you shouldn’t enjoy them! With a few tips and tweaks, you can enjoy your holiday favorites while staying on track and meeting your goals. Instead of throwing caution to the wind and jumping in head first, be sure to focus on enjoying just your absolute favorites. Fill the majority of your plate with healthy choices, and indulge without guilt on those favorite items. Don’t go to those events hungry, either! Snacking on raw vegetables or a salad before you leave will help you from overfilling your plate.

Remember What’s Important!
With all of the parties, shopping, to-do lists and end of the year flying by, it can be all too easy to get wrapped up in it all. Make it a priority this year to remember what’s important to you this season — and every season! The typical answers to the “what’s important to you?” question tend to revolve around family, health, and living a meaningful life. Yours may vary, so go ahead and ask yourself... what’s important to you? If health and family are on your list — start by adding a new healthy habit to your daily routine. Will it be a workout? Or maybe, a salad for lunch? Make family time a priority, without all of the planning. This can be as simple as snuggling up and watching your favorite holiday movie — no planning involved! If reaching out is important to you, plan a way for your family to give back to your community together this season.

Be Good To Yourself!
We sometimes forget to care for ourselves as we cater to everyone else, so don’t forget about taking care of yourself this season! Self-care is incredibly important to your overall wellbeing. Taking care of yourself not only keeps your immune system fighting, but also creates a deeper relationship with yourself as you nourish your every physical and emotional need. Creating a holiday self-care list of things to do is a fantastic way to stay on top of things during the busy season.This could be as simple as committing to an epsom salt bath 3 times a week. Find something that truly relaxes you, and stick to it. This will help keep your stress levels low, as well!

Positivity!
You hold so much power over your mood and the enjoyment of this time for you through your mindset. Make a commitment to yourself to stay positive, and have a few back-up ideas on how to do just that when the frustrations kick in. This time of year affects people in various ways. Two examples include those that are filled with joy and a heart of giving, and those that are lonely and depressed. Maintaining your level of positivity will not only enhance your days, but may also be that smile that someone absolutely needs to see at any particular moment. You are so powerful. Please, never forget that.

Be Prepared!
One of the most important things you can do to keep yourself on track is to be prepared. Keep healthy snacks with you to avoid making a less healthy (and less tasty) choice. Raw nuts are a great snack that can be tossed in your bag with ease. Packed full of nutrients, they will keep you satisfied longer than a typical quick snack. Do you have your holiday plans (meals, parties, gifts, etc) planned out ahead of time? To avoid the stress of last minute decision-making — go ahead and put these things in order. Make lists, time schedules and grocery ideas of what you will need when the time comes.
 
Start Your Day Right!
Set yourself up for success from the beginning of each day by starting your day off right. The days seem to go much more efficiently when starting off on “the right foot.” Before you begin your day enjoy your breakfast, give your body a natural jolt by having a glass of warm lemon water on an empty stomach. This helps kick the body into detox mode at the beginning of each day. Have a healthy breakfast that will carry you to lunch with ease. Try making time for breakfast and yourself, if your schedule allows. Use this time to set your intentions for the day and appreciate something you’re grateful for in your life on a daily basis.

Make It Fun!
Sometimes, we just can’t avoid those necessary, unexciting tasks. I enjoy purchasing gifts for everyone  during the holidays — but, wrapping them? Not so much. In these cases, try to make these tasks as enjoyable as you can. Do you enjoy holiday movies? Plan to tackle your unpleasant gift-wrapping while you enjoy your favorite holiday movie! This is usually what I do! Maybe this will help you look forward to doing this task. Having this attitude and plan of action with each of your dreaded tasks this season will make for a more enjoyable time spent. Mix it up, and make it fun!

Spend Smart!
Financial health is one of the most overlooked aspects of overall health in our culture today. If you eat the most nutritious diet packed with whole foods, yet struggle with an absurd amount of stress due to your financial situation — you are sabotaging your health. Set a budget for yourself this season, and stick to it. There is no need to go into debt to provide gifts for your loved ones. Afterall, they are your loved ones, and I am sure they do not want to cause you any harm! To avoid overspending, start shopping earlier in the year and purchase over time. Plan out what gift you want to give each person on your list. Consider homemade items, which are very popular and revered. You may also consider having your gift budget in cash, so that you can keep a closer eye on where your budget is going and how much you have left.
 
Move Your Body!
Don’t forget about your physical health! With the busy nature of this season, many find it hard to commit to hitting the gym several times a week. Instead of having an “all or nothing” attitude about your physical health — plan what you can into your schedule. Can you commit to after-dinner walks with your family or by yourself? Can you fit a 15-30 minute yoga routine in each morning or on your lunch break? Find what works best for you, and what you enjoy best, and schedule it in. You’ll feel much better throughout the season, keep your immune system healthy, and you will be much more likely to make healthy decisions in other aspects of your life if you are making your health a daily priority.

Have a Merry Christmas! 

If you need help in any of the areas above, lets chat!