171226 - Guest Post - Coach Bri - Holiday Eating Made Easy
Tips for Healthy Holidays
The holidays are a wonderful time to connect with family and friends! However, they can be a stressful time as well. There tend to be more social events, family may visit, and schedules are often jam packed. There are more temptations around food starting as early as Halloween and lasting until the New Year. I put together a list of ideas to reduce stress and stay healthy this holiday season!
Be mindful: Holidays can be stressful for many reasons. Try not to be hard on yourself. Forgive yourself for food choices you make around the holidays. Once the holidays are over, restart where you left off. Eat meals with a balance of vegetables, fruits, protein and fat. Get back to the gym as soon as your schedule allows - there are plenty of people there to motivate and support you!
Plan ahead: Have healthy snacks like nuts, jerky, or cut veggies and fruit to have on hand. When hunger strikes, or you are offered baked goods or other snacks, you can have a healthy snack ready! That way you will be less likely to overindulge. Plan healthy, well balanced meals to have ready when you are too busy and may be tempted to eat out or choose something less healthy.
Don’t skip meals: Eat a small meal that has both carbohydrate and protein before any big holiday meals. Skipping meals can cause your blood sugar to drop and can lead to extreme hunger and affect your ability to say “no” to less than ideal food choices. Small meal ideas might be a salad with baked chicken or scrambled eggs with veggies.
Plan physical activities & get into the gym as much as you can: Get outside and get some fresh air! Even something as simple as a brisk walk around the block can make a big difference after a big meal. Walk the dog, play football in the park, go for a hike - there’s no excuse with all this beautiful weather we’ve been having! Get into the gym as much as you can! You may be busy, but a good workout helps to reduce stress and help counteract those holiday indulgences
Drink plenty of water: Staying well hydrated will help prevent overdoing it with sugary drinks (think cider and hot chocolate) that are around during the holidays. Staying hydrated also helps to keep you feeling fuller longer before and after large meals.
Drink alcohol in moderation: Drinking alcohol may reduce stress in the short-term, but if you drink too much, it can affect how you feel the next day, and may increase your stress overall. Also, many holiday adult beverages contain lots of calories and sugar (think eggnog). Finally, alcohol can lead to making food choices you might not usually make. Since it can be almost impossible to completely abstain from alcohol around the holidays, have in mind some less sugary options to either bring with you, or order when you are out.
Get plenty of sleep: Not getting enough sleep can increase stress levels. Higher stress levels increases cortisol in your body and can lead to overeating. Make your room as dark as possible and turn off electronics like cell phones and tablets about 30 minutes before going to bed. Take care of yourself during the holidays, try to go to bed at the same time each night, and get eight hours of sleep.
The most important part is to enjoy yourself! The holidays only come once a year and a few indulgences are a part of celebrating this special time. Do something special for yourself that you enjoy. Take care of yourself, and…
Happy Holidays from all of us here at Choice City CrossFit!
WOD
12 minute clock
1 minute pull-ups
1 minute push-ups
1 minute air squats
For as many rep as possible