Five Healthy Tips to Enjoy Your Holidays
Thanksgiving is here. “What are you thankful for?” is the question of the month. I feel it should be a daily question that we ask ourselves. Truth is, if we are reading this on a phone or a computer screen, we have a lot to be thankful for in our lives.
A lot of people spend their Thanksgiving with family, friends or maybe a small intimate gathering at home. Think about who you are spending Thanksgiving with this year. Imagine each person and send them a bit of love and gratitude for being in your life right now.
The man and I are spending it with each other, Lita (pup) and the kitties. We plan to go hiking in the morning and have a small crab dinner with each other later in the evening. This has been one of my traditions (hiking + crab dinner) since I moved to Washington. I love being outdoors and truly thankful to live so close to such a beautiful area and that I can spend it with loved ones.
While I love this tradition, there’s something about Thanksgiving and the holidays where I also miss being around my family and close friends. I have also spent many holidays alone, too. No matter if you are spending it with family, friends or alone, it’s important to be grateful for wherever you are at in life, the little things and the big things, as it is all part of your individual journey.
Food is always a focus around the holidays, whether it be Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday parties or work gatherings, it’s everywhere. Healthy and unhealthy are terms we give to food and while there are healthy and unhealthy foods out there, creating a better relationship with food overall is important and you can start working on this over the holidays, too.
Here are Five Healthy Tips to Enjoy Your Holidays
These tips can be used every day during the holidays to keep you relaxed, grateful and enjoying time with those around you while creating your healthier S.H.I.N.E. foundation.
1. Start your day with personal development and a positive focus.
Are you reading an inspiring personal development book, have a favorite podcast or audiobook, practice meditation or start your day with some personal morning rituals? If not, choose one and start TODAY! That 5-10 minutes can make a huge difference in your day. If you have 5 minutes to shower, you have 5 minutes for personal development (you can listen while you shower)!
2. Move your body daily.
I’m not talking about your daily routine of walking to your car and walking into work, but creating time and space within your day to MOVE! It could be getting outside for a 20-30 minute walk (or run) on your lunch break or after Thanksgiving dinner, getting up a little earlier to do a workout from home or heading to the gym, it could be planning a hike to a new location once a week. Schedule it in so it happens. I recommend at least 30 minutes. Yes, you can do this on Thanksgiving and other holidays, too!
3. Focus on natural nutrition and eating healthy.
Everyone has their own definition of healthy. My philosophy is to find what works best for your individual body, but release restriction and overindulgence; there is a happy balance. If you have a favorite holiday meal or recipe, how can you make it healthier and more natural, how can you “upgrade” it? I like to think of the bronze, gold, and platinum method. How can you make your meal, recipe or dessert healthier or a “platinum” version of it? How can it be more nourishing in nutrients and still keep its flavor and personal enjoyment?
4. Plan ahead and don’t skip meals.
When you know you have a holiday gathering, my advice is to eat a well-balanced meal before the party so you don’t arrive hungry. (I would actually say eat healthy meals daily all month long, so your body feels balanced and nourished every day.) DON’T skimp on calories all day before a party or event, that will only cause your body to crave more junk as it feels undernourished and you’ll want to eat everything in sight or be super cranky (or both). That’s not a healthy balance and it’s also where that guilty and/or unhealthy relationship with food (and yourself) may arrive.
5. Choose healthy food and a love-filled mindset.
We have choices, we can choose what we eat and we can choose our attitude and how we feel in certain situations. While at a gathering, choose a small plate, pick your favorites, put them on your plate and go sit down to nourish your body with (eat) them while connecting with someone that you enjoy talking with. Food is a huge connector, so sit down, relax and enjoy a good love-filled conversation with others while chewing and enjoying your foods. Keep your mindset and food choices positive.
BONUS: Treat yourself!
Yes, if there is a TREAT that you want and you know you can’t have it somewhere else, put it on your plate. Choose wisely and enjoy it without guilt. I have found that if you restrict yourself from the things you love, that only ends up in guilt, deprivation or overindulging later, which also ends up in guilt. It’s a cycle. Also, think of non-food ways to treat yourself, too. Truth is, the healthier you eat and the more you nourish your body with healthy upgraded natural foods, the less you will crave those “treat” foods and the better you will feel overall!
>>Which tip is the most beneficial for you?
>>Who do you look forward to connecting with?
>>What are some of your favorite holiday traditions or foods?
Please share in the comments!
I’m always looking to create new traditions and test out healthier upgraded versions of favorite foods.
Create a HAPPY and LOVE FILLED Holiday Season!
Thank YOU for being a positive part of my life and journey.
Keep Shining – Nicole
If you are looking to upgrade your foods, fitness and create some healthy new year habits (including the ones above) in January, I am coaching a small 30 day online healthy eating and fitness group. Last day to join and receive your at home healthy package is December 30th! If you would like to learn more, please message me here.
