Your Holiday Survival Guide

It’s hard to believe the holidays are already here – where has the year gone? The holiday season can bring up a wide range of emotions – anxious, eager, depressed, excited. No matter the emotions, a common question we hear is, “how can I maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the holidays?” To help, we pulled together a Holiday Survival Guide to provide you with some tips to maintain a healthy and healing lifestyle despite all of the treats and potential cheats! We hope it offers you some inspiration and tactical ideas you can apply going forward!

Get your head in the game.

Celebrate the holidays year-round.

We live in a time when we can either make or buy just about anything at any time – there is no need to mentally and physically restrict ourselves of the foods we enjoy simply because they’re categorized as “holiday foods.” If you’re craving turkey, stuffing or cranberry sauce on a random day in March, enjoy!

Start fresh.

Be empowered to reset and start fresh if you have a slip. Life happens, you’re human. Don’t dwell on the past, quickly forgive yourself and move on. Remember, one slip does not mean the rest of your day, week or month is shot – you have the power to start fresh the very next minute. Overindulging early on the holiday season could very easily carry over and become a pattern for the next 6 weeks until the New Year, but why let it?

‘Tis the season.

The holidays don’t have to mean weight gain and party hangovers. You can have your fun and feel great to0. You have the power to make new, conscious and curious food and lifestyle choices, why wait till the new year to get started? Gift yourself good health and an empowered self this holiday season, you won’t regret it!

Set boundaries.

When we say yes to every holiday commitment, we start to feel overextended and depleted. This makes it more and more difficult to make smart decisions when it comes to food and lifestyle. We recommend saying yes to what you really want to attend and say no when you are feeling compelled to go out of obligation. Saying no to holiday parties means saying yes to yourself!

Pre-party Tips.

Eat before a party.

Be sure to schedule in extra time before you leave to have a bite. That way, if there aren’t “safe” foods served at the party, you won’t be starving! This is also important to do if you’re planning on raising a glass of your vice of choice. Be sure to include sources of healthy fats (avocado, olives, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, nuts and seeds) and protein as they will help to keep your blood sugar levels stable.

Bring your own dish.

Making a dish to bring to a party is one of our favorite tactics – you know exactly what’s in the dish and know there’s at least one thing you can eat based on your own food guidelines.

Party Tips.

Skip the bubbles. Stick to plant-based spirits and organic wine.

Stick to “clean” cocktails and organic dry wines to help minimize sugar overload. For spirits, try 100% agave tequila, Tito’s vodka or gin with soda water or on the rocks with a twist. These are all plant-based liquors – they’re clean, refreshing and your body will thank you the next morning!

Take Two.

Somewhere along the way, it seems the holidays became an annual food competition. This year, we challenge you to take a 2-minute break towards the middle or end of your meal or holiday party. Put your fork or drink down, take a breath and have a quick check-in. Am I still hungry? Am I full? Am I craving something else? Depending on what you find, make your next move. Remember, the food will always be there for you to have at a later date if you’re not hungry at the moment.

Post-party Tips.

Hydrate.

This is an essential step to recovery. You body is working overtime to seek homeostasis and flushing out the harmful effects of the invader (gluten, dairy, sugar, alcohol, etc.). Staying hydrated will aid your body in a faster recovery.

Charcoal.

Charcoal is a binding agent meaning anything that enters the body (food, supplements, alcohol!) binds to the charcoal and is eliminated through your bowel movements. After a night of celebration, take a couple of capsules of activated charcoal…you’ll thank us the next morning. Note: take charcoal at least 2 hours away from your other supplement – like we said, charcoal binds to any and all things, including the good stuff!

Stick to easy eating.

If you do consume a food you’re sensitive to or even overindulge in, give your digestion a break for at least 48 hours. Soups, stews, bone broth, cooked vegetables (avoid starchy or fibrous veggies) or a boiled egg are some good options as well as anti-inflammatory foods (turmeric, ginger, dark leafy greens, fresh herbs).