By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD 

The holiday season is upon us, and this year looks a lot different than usual. One thing’s for sure, though. It’s still easy to go overboard during the holidays and get off track with your healthy eating and exercise plans. 

Even though November and December are typically viewed as times of indulgence, there’s a lot of room to develop and maintain healthy habits during these months. You don’t need to give up your favorite foods or adopt an “all or nothing” mentality. Here are our top tips for staying mindful of your health as you navigate the holiday season. 

1 – Stick to your regular eating schedule. 

Do you feel like you need to skip breakfast and lunch to “save room” for your holiday dinner? Many people have this mentality, and not just on holidays, but throughout the whole season too. In actuality, skipping meals before a celebratory feast might make you more likely to overdo it. Plus, you’ll probably feel pretty cranky and “hangry” in the hours leading up to the event. 

Stick with your regular eating schedule, even on holidays. Start the day with a balanced breakfast, and be sure to eat something midday, even if your holiday meal is scheduled for the afternoon. Eating a small lunch or snack will tide you over before dinner, and you’ll have more stable energy and blood sugar levels throughout the day. 

2 – Choose your favorite dishes. 

When filling your plate for a holiday meal, add your favorites dishes first. If you don’t love sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce, there’s no harm in not choosing them this year. Stick to the recipes that you look forward to enjoying, savor them on your plate, and skip the foods that don’t give you as much satisfaction (but still contribute unnecessary calories!). 

If you’re having a smaller than usual gathering with just your partner and/or kids this year, there’s even more wiggle room for creating a menu that has the crowd-pleasers but fewer overall dishes. 

3 – Keep a standing appointment for your workouts. 

The “most wonderful time of the year” also happens to be the busiest, and exercise may drop to the bottom of your priority list during the holidays. If you schedule workouts just like you do work meetings and family commitments, you’ll be a lot more likely to make them happen! 

The closing of gyms and in-person workout classes during the pandemic has actually presented even more opportunities to fit exercise into your daily routine. You can participate in livestream or virtual classes from the comfort of your own home, which takes away the added time of transportation. If your nights are packed with family Zoom calls and gift swaps, try fitting in a quick virtual class after lunch. You can still make it to your 2 pm conference call, even in your exercise clothes! 

For more tips on increasing activity during the holidays, check out our posts on the best phone apps to help you stay fit and recommendations for exercising at home. 

Note from Healthy For Life Meals: We can help you stay on top of your health this holiday season! Get started with our healthy meal service delivery today, and enjoy hassle-free, nutritionally balanced meals that can help you lose weight and stay in shape.