How to Stay on Track Through the Holidays

I was planning on having my holiday home tour up today, but with the weather being dark and gloomy this past week, it’s been impossible to shoot any indoor photos. It rained all weekend so I took advantage and spent most of it curled up on the couch with a mimosa, binge-watching the second season of Making a Murderer on Netflix. It was nice to relax and have nothing planned, and that got me thinking about the upcoming holiday parties on our calendar. We always seem to have more plans in December than any other month of the year. More parties and get-togethers also mean more food – unhealthy snacks, cookies, sweets, and cocktails. Try as I might, it can be hard to stay balanced. So today, I wanted to share some tips on how to stay on track during the holidays:

Never go to a party hungry

Don’t skip a meal to avoid calories. Eat a protein-packed meal or snack before you go to an event. If a full meal is being served, eat a healthy snack an hour or two before you go.

Cut back on alcohol during the week

It’s safe to say I’m drinking more wine and cocktails this time of year, so during the week, I swap out the glass of wine I’d have with dinner with sparkling water.

Drink more water

Your body needs at least eight glasses of water every day. Many times when we think we’re hungry, we’re actually thirsty. Drink a glass or two of water with lemon or cucumber when you think you are hungry to help distinguish hunger from thirst.

Plan accordingly

It’s easy to let meal planning go when you’re so busy. Make some extra time for it, use Pinterest to find easy weeknight meals and crockpot recipes (I love this white chicken chili recipe). If your local grocery store offers online ordering and delivery, take advantage of it!

Allow yourself some indulgences

Sometimes if we deprive ourselves, we end up overindulging. Chew every bite slowly and enjoy the flavors of your food. Try to keep a balance of 80% healthy and 20% indulgence.

Stay active

Try to do some type of fitness activity for at least 15 minutes every day. My favorite do-anywhere workout is the 7 Minute Workout. If you have a fitness tracker, aim for at least 10,000 steps a day!