The holidays are known for the endless amounts of delicious comfort food and snuggling up to protect yourself from the cold. What it’s also known for is taking over our healthy lifestyles. We get too comfortable staying inside, and then skip going to the gym. We let the idea of holiday meals allow us to overeat. We get caught up in the intensity of finals and the year coming to an end and stress eat. Although there is a vast number of reasons why being healthy during the holidays is difficult, here are four tips that make it possible.
Stay active.
Even though the cold weather might influence you to decide to not make a trip to the gym, there are exercise routines that you can do at home. By establishing a fitness schedule at the gym or at home, you are more likely to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay fit. Apps on iPhones and Androids give you the same exercise you would experience in the gym as at home with quick workouts and complete exercises. If working out from your home and doing workouts at the gym doesn’t sound fun, then sign up for a workout class at your local gym, such as yoga or Zumba. By staying active during the holidays, you’ll be able to feel great and look great while entering the new year.
Quit the Stress Eating
The thought of finals causes us to think of the nights without sleep, or the tests that will make or break final grades, but instead of turning that stress into an excuse to binge and eat, turn it into a hobby of yours or do an activity that will allow you to relax. Stress eating won’t make your problems disappear, and would only cause the problem of not being able to maintain a healthy diet. Instead, use your passions and hobbies to take away from the stress.
Don’t overeat
Seeing tables covered with piles of food and being handed plate after plate might cause us to think it is necessary to eat all of the food in sight, but it shouldn’t. During the holidays, we use this idea as an excuse to eat as much as possible. In order to avoid overeating, take your time eating your food and let your stomach decide when you feel that you are full. When being served food, it is best to have smaller portions rather than larger. You can always go up for second portions but by having a smaller portion, you’d be more likely to slow down your meal and consider when you’re full. Holidays shouldn’t be an excuse to break away from eating healthy.
Choose healthy over unhealthy.
The cold weather causes us to resort to buying junk food from the local student store or to storing accessible junk food in our dorms rather than taking a trip to the grocery store to buy healthy, fresh food. If going to the grocery store isn’t an easy option for you, be mindful when choosing to eat at your college’s food center. Make sure to incorporate lots of fruits and veggies in your meal, and be mindful of the sweets and junk you take in. Being home for the holidays might cause us to devour the many pies or load up on mashed potatoes for each meal, but it is best to be as conscious as you are at your dorm as you are at home. By choosing to eat healthy, the benefits will make you feel better inside and out.
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