When the holidays roll around, a little weight gain and indulging is to be expected and, of course, totally understandable. Now by no means do we discourage enjoying yourself during the holiday season; rather, we wish to advise everyone on how to go about it in a healthier way.
With a few tricks here and there, it’s entirely possible to maintain a healthy lifestyle even throughout all those big get-together dinners or scrumptious holiday leftovers.
To make your holiday season a little healthier, you might find these simple tips to be helpful.
Keep your stress levels in check
Naturally, any holiday season is full of endless fun, love, and excitement – but unfortunately it tends to come with a lot of stress too. With all the shopping, planning, and travelling, it’s no wonder we always feel so burnt out and excited during the holidays.
Stress actually does a lot more damage than we realise. You may notice that in stressful situations, you have the urge to reach for a snack like a bag of chips or a box of cookies. This is because, physiologically speaking, stress activates a hormone called cortisol, which results in an increase in appetite and a sudden desire to eat sugary, fatty, and salty foods.
To combat this, you can ward off stress by sticking to a steady and mindful daily regimen. Simple things, such as getting a good night’s sleep and fitting in a few minutes of exercise every day, will have you reaping tremendous benefits. Doing these will not only keep you fit and energised, but it will also do wonders for your mood.
Find healthier alternatives to your favourite treats
Healthy eating doesn’t have to feel like a chore – it can be a whole adventure creating new recipes and exploring modifications. For example, you can use yoghurt instead of mayonnaise in your devilled eggs or add lentils to your secret meatball recipe!
To get an extra nutritional boost, another favourite we like to add to our meals is Tasmanian Hemp Seeds. They work fantastically with treats such as smoothies, yoghurt, salads, and more.
Of course, this is much easier when you’re the one doing the cooking for a big feast. If you happen to be a guest at a party, it might be a little trickier to find these alternatives at the dinner table, but that’s not to say that you can’t enjoy yourself.
If you don’t want to end up eating too much at the party, try to use smaller plates and opt for healthier choices, like roasted vegetables or a fruit platter. That brings us to the next thing on our list.
Incorporate fruit and vegetables into your diet
Sometimes, it’s not about eating less, but about eating better. By simply increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables, you’re already doing yourself a huge favour. It’s not just important for our health, but it’s also great for training our palate. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself naturally inclined to reach for a healthy dish!
When in doubt, it might help to have a serving of vegetables first before anything else. This can be something you do by yourself at home before attending the party. By doing this, you’re guaranteed to have your fill of vegetables before feasting on the higher-calorie meals at the event.
Plus, Elderberry Powder is another easy addition. It’s a low-calorie ingredient that contains dietary fibre and vitamin C, and it stirs easily into smoothies, yoghurt or porridge.
Be mindful of portions
If you’ve found yourself in a position where you don’t have any healthy or low-calorie food options at hand, there’s no need to panic, as you can still keep yourself in check by controlling your portions.
To keep yourself from overeating at dinner, you can keep yourself full throughout the day by eating small snacks. Or, you can have three medium-sized meals, instead of three extra large ones. This is a simple technique that overall reduces the amount of food that you’re actually consuming.
If you like a stronger, more herbal note in your morning coffee, you can try adding a few drops of Yerba Mate Tincture. Yerba mate is a South American herb that has been drunk as a tea for centuries, and its earthy, slightly bitter flavour pairs well with coffee.
For a warm, caffeine-free drink between meals, a cup of our Super Tea - Peppermint, Spearmint, Licorice, Marsh Mellow, Nettle is a light, herbal alternative to reaching for a second dessert.
Don’t skimp on the exercise
It might be tempting to take a long break from working out during the holidays, and with all of the hustling and bustling, it becomes less and less of a priority. But continuing to stay active can bring you wonderful benefits all throughout the season and even after the holidays are long gone!
Like we mentioned earlier, exercise is terrific for reducing those nasty symptoms of stress. Aside from spending an hour or two at the gym, there are other ways to stay fit and active such as going for a long walk or doing some yoga in the morning.
These will allow you to get some quiet time to yourself as well, where you can fully de-stress and just focus on the moment.
Before your workout, you could stir a teaspoon of Black Maca Powder into your milk, coffee, or just hot water – it has a malty, slightly nutty flavour that works well in warm drinks.
Staying fit and healthy throughout the holiday season can be the best thing you can do for your mind and body. And with that, we hope that you were able to find these nifty tips and tricks to be helpful. Here’s to a wonderful, healthy, and happy holiday to everyone!
This article is general information only and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting a new supplement.
