The holidays are here! How can you stay on track while still enjoying the festivities and fun that the season brings. Our advice is simple and straightforward: Be prepared. When you spend a bit more time on the preparation end, it pays off in spades.
- Pack a snack — Don’t leave the house without a healthy snack packed in your bag. Opt for non-perishable items so that if you don’t eat it, it won’t spoil. But it should also be something that will provide enough sustainable energy so you won’t have to stop into a corner bodega or mall food court to grab something less healthy. Some of our faves include: Biltong, Health Warrior Chia Bars, trail mix and Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers.
- Menu stalk — Holiday season often means many dinners out with friends, family and colleagues. Socializing is an important part of our overall well-being, but some of those meals should be on the healthier side. Pull up the menu before entering the restaurant and decide what you’ll order in advance. This will decrease last minute temptations helping you to stay on track and balance out your week. Remember healthy food tastes good too and simply doubling up on your veggies and avoiding the breadbasket are steps in the right direction.
- Meal prep — while it is time-consuming, having some simple items stocked in your fridge can help you to stay on point between celebrations. It doesn’t have to be fancy. For example, having hard boiled eggs available for a grab and go breakfast or healthy afternoon snack is all you need to avoid excess nibbling. Some great go-to items include: eggs, cut-up veggies (good for salad or a quick sauté and many stores do it for you now), a box of greens (triple washed variety), and an avocado. If you are feeling a little extra, make a grain (quinoa cooks up super fast or frozen options exist too). Just like that, you’ve got lunch or dinner without even putting on your oven! Decadent meals are great, but sometimes when you have a month full of celebrations, simple meals help keep you on point without feeling deprived.
Use these tips when you can and remember even if you only manage 1 out of the 3 that’s still a win. Holidays are meant to be enjoyed but wouldn’t it be great to come out of the season feeling just as good as you did going in? Yeah, we got you 🙂
