The holidays can be stressful, busy time for everyone. With yummy Christmas sweets and treats lurking at every corner, it can seem impossible not to get off track of your health routines during the winter months. These four simple tips will help you fully enjoy the season without getting on the naughty list for your diet!
Give Yourself The Gift Of Sleep
Your overall health is so much more than just your diet and exercise. Sleep plays a huge part in our ability to function, perform, and handle the daily stressors of life well. While you may be tempted to skimp on those extra few hours of sleep, don’t! Not getting enough sleep leads to higher stress levels, overeating, and lower cognitive functioning. An old mattress could be affecting your quality of sleep, so consider buying a new one. There are lots of holiday mattress sales going on, and third party reviews from real customers to help narrow down the right kind of mattress for your sleep needs––whether you are a side sleeper, back sleeper, or stomach sleeper. Check out these helpful tips to ensure a good night’s sleep despite the craziness of the holiday season.
Make A List... And Check It Twice
Santa Claus isn’t the only one who needs to make a list this holiday season. As holiday activities and social events start to fill up your calendar space, write down the times you are going to go to the gym or go on a run. Set reminders on your phone 15 minutes before with inspirational messages to motivate yourself. It also helps to take inventory of what you are eating each day. My Fitness Pal is a great app to help you keep track of calories, saturated fats, etc.
Write down any sugar you intake to help remind yourself what you’ve already eaten so when you’re tempted to grab that brownie at 9pm, you can look back and remember you had a donut already that morning. Since the holidays often involve lots of travel, it can be hard to stick to an eating plan. Plan ahead and bring snacks for car trips and plane rides. Going to your Aunt Kathy’s house who only eats junk food? Bring some fruit and veggies with you! Prepare your own coffee with unsweetened soy milk and stevia. If you are going to be in someone else’s home for a few days, research what grocery stores and restaurants are located around that area so you’re not stuck eating a carb and sugar heavy diet that someone else has made for you.
Be Flexible & Have Fun
With the kids out of school, family and friends visiting, and traveling for the holidays, your workout time can easily slip away from you….and it’s not the end of the world! While you may be tempted to feel frustrated or upset with yourself for missing a workout, don’t! Instead, look for other ways to stay active that involve the whole family. Go on a walk or hike together, play in the snow, go ice skating! As long as you’re sweating, you’re staying in shape. Even a dance party to Christmas music in the living room counts as cardio during the holidays!
A Small Goal is Better Than No Goals Even if you aren’t as regimented in the winter months, it’s still better to make small achievable health goals for yourself that you know you can accomplish. Maybe cutting back your workouts to 2-3 times a week instead of 4-5, or saying you will drink 2 glasses of water a day is all you can handle. To get your health routine to stick, take little steps, not giant leaps. This will ensure you feel successful and stay fit!
I hope you enjoyed this blog post about tips to stay in better shape over the holidays while remaining on a frugal budget.
Interested in more articles about staying healthy for the holidays?
Read Related Resources:
• How To Avoid Overeating Over The Holiday Season
• Health And Fitness New Year's Resolution
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