The holidays can be a happy time, but the constant bustle of activities can be a little stressful, too. Social gatherings, gift buying, and holiday baking tend to dig into our already hectic schedules.
With a few simple tips, you can stay healthy and rested during all the seasonal celebrations.
Make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
Those fun social gatherings with coworkers, friends, or family can easily turn into late nights. If you’re not getting adequate rest, the resulting sleep deprivation can affect appetite-regulating hormones, causing you to eat more and gain weight. Make sure you get plenty of sleep to keep these hormones in check—and you’ll have a better chance at turning down those cookies!
Sip lemon water.
Even with a good night’s sleep, most people find the abundance of sweets too tempting to resist. Adding the juice of one-quarter lemon to your glass of water will add a natural source of vitamin C and help keep cravings at bay.
Hit the gym and stay active.
Endorphins are real! Elevating your heart rate and breaking a sweat is a great way to boost hormone levels. When you exercise, levels of the feel-good hormone dopamine increase and stress decreases. Serotonin levels also increase, helping your overall mood. It’s why you see so many smiles when you leave the gym!
Eat your veggies.
Make it a goal to eat a serving or two of veggies every meal, and throw in a piece of fruit for a snack. Vegetables and fruit contain fiber, micronutrients, and antioxidants—all things that a healthy body needs. Some in-season options are Brussels sprouts, squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips. Seasonal fruits are citrus and pomegranates.
Get outside.
Don’t let cold weather be your excuse for staying indoors. The more exposure your body has to the cold, the more it adapts to it. Please make sure you bundle up, but do head outside and take a walk, especially if the sun is shining. If you can get outside for a quick walk midday, it can make you alert enough to skip that afternoon coffee and get you through the rest of your work day.
Kristi Polonsky is a trainer at Boom Fitness in Fairfield. Join the Boom Nutrition Challenge starting on January 19!