Every year so many of us look forward to the holidays but at the same time have a underlying sense of dread, knowing how difficult it can be to stay on track with our fitness and nutrition goals amid the all the hustle, bustle and celebrations.  I used to be one of those people, but over the last several years that has changed.  Why?  Not only have I used many of the healthy holiday hacks that I am about to share with you, but the biggest difference has come from the fact that before the holiday season arrives, I’ve gone into it with a realistic plan.

A plan is essential to success because it gives you a roadmap of what to do, not only on a daily basis, but also when the unexpected happens!  My plan this year includes; maintaining my weight and body composition by checking the scale each morning and having an upper limit, if I hit that limit adjusting my behavior accordingly, keeping 1 hr workouts in my routine a minimum of 3 x a week (M,T,Th are my goal days) and a total of at least 30 minutes of activity on 3 other days, keeping my diet clean at home with the exception of actual holiday days where I’ll allow myself to freely indulge, and choosing a maximum of 2 celebratory events a week to attend where I’ll use the tips below!  I encourage you to make your own plan as well!

Hacks to make this year’s holiday season healthy!

1. Going to a family gathering? Offer to bring a side - a healthy one like a green salad, so you know there will be at least something you can fill your plate with that will be good for your body as well as your taste buds!

2. Whether it’s a family gathering, a work party, or whatever the celebration, have a small protein and fiber rich snack prior to leaving for the event. A couple hard boiled eggs, cucumbers and whole grain crackers, low fat cottage cheese or nuts paired with fruit, or even a protein shake will do the trick. This will help to keep you from overindulging at the event.

3. Allow yourself to try some of the sweet and rich choices at the event so you don’t feel like you are missing out, but keep it to a taste. Take a smaller plate and just a few bites of your favorite holiday treats.

4. Alcohol is one of the biggest reasons for both weight gain and energy drain over the holidays, but it is also a part of many social occassions. Drink a glass of water before and between any alcoholic drink and consider alternating days - for every day you go out and indulge, plan and stick to a day where you don’t immediately after.

5. Keep your home stocked with easy to grab, helahy options. The holidays can be a busy time so convenience is a huge factor in our food choices. This may be the time of year to buy the pre-cut veggies so you don’t have the extra prep work to do and can stick to healthy snacking. Buy a rotisserie chicken with each weeks shopping trip so you have easy access to clean protein to top a salad with or a quick oven reheat dinner in a pinch.

6. Try healthy substitutions in your holiday recipes. Add applesauce to sweet potatoes instead of sugar. Add some cauliflower to your potato mash. Need a healthy cookie recipe? Try the one in my last blog post!

7. When meeting friends or family, choose to do it in an active way. Stroll the mall together rather than sitting and having coffee. Bundle up and go on a winter hike. The woods are gorgeous after a fresh snowfall - just make sure that you have proper grippy footwear if you are in that climate. Test your balance and core at an ice skating rink!

8. Traveling? Bring resistance bands with you. They are small and easy to pack and guarantee you can get a workout in whatever the space.

9. Keep stress and tension at bay by prioritizing types of exercise that release tension and help you unwind while at the same time engaging your core. Start each day with just 10 minutes of pilates or yoga and end it with 5 - 10 minutes of foam rolling. It will do wonders for your stress level and get you a guaranteed 15 - 20 minutes of fitness in!

I hoe you can put all these hacks to good use and have a happy, healthy holiday season! If you’re looking for more tips, please reach out to schedule a consult or join my mailing list!

A beautifully delicious high protein "treat" for when you need to grab and go or just feel that need to indulge.

Ingredients:

2 Cups mashed ripe bananas

4 Cups oatmeal

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup applesauce

2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I like Tri-Release by Isagenix link here)

2/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup dried cherries or raisins (optional)

2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until everything is uniformly moist.

Drop dough by tablespoonful on uncreased cookie sheet

Flatten to desired thickness (dough will not spread during cooking)

Bake 15 minutes

Cool and store in an airtight container.

Freeze what won’t be used in the next 3 days.

#Cookies #Protein #HealthyBreakfast #HealthyHoliday