The holiday season is here! This often means lots of food and festivities, overindulgence, lack of routine, irregular sleep habits and lack of exercise. The holiday season can also be a very stressful time and in order to survive we need to make sure we have enough rest and that we’re eating the right foods. This is not to say that we shouldn’t allow ourselves to indulge a little, but the key is to make smart choices, eat in moderation and maintain routine as much as possible.
Here are SOW Health’s top 5 tips to survive the Holiday Season:
- Eat Regular Meals:
- If you are going to a big party or dinner, don’t starve yourself all day in anticipation. You’re in danger of arriving there feeling ravenous and eating everything in sight.
- Prepare healthy snacks to have throughout the day
DID YOU KNOW?
- Using an appetizer or salad size plate instead of a dinner plate to minimize intake by up to 40% less, cutting down roughly 1200 calories (The typical holiday meal can contain up to 3000 calories)!
- Stay Hydrated:
- Staying hydrated is essential to maintain your appetite, keep your bowels regular, improves energy levels, helps with detoxification (especially after holiday parties!) and keeps your skin healthy
- Water does not increase your blood sugar levels like many other beverages
- Rest Up:
- Sleeping between 7.5 – 9 hours per night will optimize hormone function and control your appetite and blood sugar
- Sleep loss is associated with an increase in appetite
- Studies show that after a short night’s sleep adults ate about an extra 300 calories and tended to choose higher-fat, higher-calorie foods
- Reduce Your Stress:
- Manage your stress levels in the day by focusing on stressors in your control
- Techniques to help you wind down include: deep breathing exercise, reading for pleasure, meditation, learning to play an instrument, adult colouring books, minimizing screen time, practicing gratitude
- Make Exercise a Priority:
- Keep up or start exercising regularly, especially during the holiday season. This will help improve energy levels and help burn off excess calories.
- Benefits of exercise: Controls weight, Improves mood, Boosts energy, Promotes better sleep
These are just a few tips to better prepare you for the month ahead. We hope that you have a safe and healthy holiday season!
Best Wishes,
Aliyah Alibhai
Naturopathic Doctor at SOW Health
