Staying Healthy this Festive Season
Guide to Staying Healthy this Festive Season:
December is here and the festivities and social events are ramping up. Sometimes this time of year motives us to get closer to our health goals, but more often than not I hear people say it’s too hard to stay healthy with all of the socialising. I’m here to tell you, that’s not the case!
We can enjoy all that the festive season has to offer, while still living a healthy lifestyle. Here are some of my top tips:
STICK WITH YOUR HEALTHY HABITS
Just because we’re eating a few meals out per week, having a few extra drinks or getting a bit less sleep… doesn’t mean we have to write off all of our healthy healthy habits. When you’re not eating out, choose to make yourself a nourishing meal. On the nights when you don’t have events, get to sleep at a reasonable time. Regardless of what you’ve got on during the day, choose to move your body for 30 minutes. The core healthy habits I recommend are: nourishing your body with real food, drinking enough water, moving your body each day, sleeping 7-8 hours per night and practicing self care to support relaxation. It’s easy to slot at least some of these in regardless of what events you have this December.
AIM TO MAKE REAL FOOD CHOICES
When you’re at a party or event, there’s generally some level of choice in what we eat. If you’re able to take along a dish, make it a real food dish so you have at least one healthy option.
The best thing to do is to fill up on as much real food as possible, then enjoy smaller amounts of the other foods on offer. You get to enjoy both and when we do it this way we don’t leave feeling sick or bloated.
STAY HYDRATED
If you’re in the southern hemisphere like me, this time of year is hot. (Although Melbourne is taking its time to warm up this year). With the increase in temperature, it’s more important than ever to stay hydrated.
Water intake has a huge impact on our health and this is a habit that’s easy to nail regardless of how much we’ve got on this festive season. Carry a drink bottle with you wherever you go, enjoy sparkling water at parties, infuse your water with fruits and vegetables to make it fun and flavoursome, drink homemade ice tea - there’s many ways you can stay hydrated this festive season.
DON’T GET CARRIED AWAY DRINKING ALCOHOL
Sure, the festive season can mean a few more drinks than normal but it doesn’t have to result in a nasty hangover the next day. Enjoy alcohol in moderation and have a glass of water between every alcoholic beverage. There’s also plenty of non-alcoholic drinks that taste just as good as the alternative, which you might like to try.
A note for my fellow non-drinkers: it’s okay to say no to drinking alcohol and you don’t need a reason or to justify yourself. Family and friends don’t always understand why we choose not to drink, but they don’t have to. Practice setting boundaries and remember it’s our choice what we put into our body.
KEEP MOVING DAILY
Make movement a priority, you’ll feel so much better after a walk or workout of your choice. Find fun ways to bring more movement into your days, whether it’s walking catch ups where you and a friend grab a take away coffee in your keep cups and walk around a local park, or heading to the park with your family after Christmas lunch to kick a soccer ball around. Bring movement into your social events this year, you’ll thank yourself for it!
SPEND TIME OUTDOORS
Make the most of the sunshine and fresh air this summer and head outdoors. This can be done as part of your daily movement or by initiating some outdoor catch ups. It’s great to spend some time barefoot on the grass or sand for the grounding benefits this has. Show some skin and allow the sunshine to convert to the important vitamin D. Being outside can clear our head and leave us feeling recharged.
I hope this helps inspire you to keep up your healthy habits this festive season. Health is a lifestyle and it’s a result of the choices we make daily. Enjoy this festive season while walking out the other side feeling amazing!
Christmas Gift Idea:
Looking for a Christmas gift for a health conscious friend or family member? My Magnetic Health Planner Bundle is perfect to help them reach and maintain their health goals in 2023. You can learn more and grab one here.
About
With over 5 years of experience in the nutrition and natural health industry, I’ve seen time and time again that health doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. It’s all about coming back to the basics, focusing on eating real foods, building healthy habits and getting our mindset right.
