3 healthy December tips
Good morning! It's hard to believe it is December first! Have your healthy habits already been taking a backseat to over-indulging? You are not alone. I personally struggle this time of year to find the balance between becoming a hermit to stay perfectly on track, and just telling myself to enjoy it. But we all know how quickly things can get off balance. And too much sugar, alcohol, too little sleep and exercise can quickly make a busy, beautiful, fun-filled time of year feel hurried and anxious. Then, before you know it, you've resigned to start again after the New Year like many others. We have some tips to help you balance out the craziness of the holidays!
Start a challenge. Ask around at your favorite studios- you'd be amazed how many gyms are holding challenges to keep you on track through the holidays. DEFINE Oakley in Cincinnati has a December challenge to complete 21 classes in the 31 days of December. They have a variety of fun classes from spinning to Barre to a trampoline "Bounce" class to keep things exciting. The first five to complete the challenge are in for a ton of prizes, gear and discounts! Also, any great trainer will customize a routine for you to follow through the month. Don't be afraid to ask. We want you to succeed! On a budget? Create a challenge with a friend. It will take two minutes to create. Set a walking or running challenge by number of days or miles you want to complete together. A sweat session with a friend you can chat with can be a great stress reliever this time of year!
Try a nutrition reset. Feeling stressed out? Body feeling inflamed? My friend Stephanie at CoreStrong can customize a nutrition program and light exercise routine to decrease inflammation in your body to help you feel lighter and more energetic through the holidays.
Soups, smoothies and salads. I am personally making an effort to incorporate these three items into my diet each day for a few reasons. Smoothies- You are probably finding less and less colorful fruit in your produce section, so I've turned to the frozen foods to get some vitamins I am lacking this time of year. A favorite of mine? Organic frozen cherries, frozen banana, handful of spinach, almond milk (or milk of your choice) chia seeds or cocoa nibs (or both!) and a couple scoops of your favorite protein powder will do the trick and give some color to your diet!
Salads- I love a good salad, but I admit I don't eat as many this time of year. Make an effort to pre-make a salad lunch that is ready to go. Try hosting a "salad in a jar" party. A group of 5-10 friends each bring a salad ingredient and their own mason jars to create 5 salad combos to get you through the week. Start with your dressing on the bottom (to keep things from getting soggy) then pile up a colorful, nutrient filled jar of beauty you can grab for work or a quick lunch!
Soups- If you are like me, your body naturally craves heartier food this time of year. Having a few homemade, healthy soup recipes on hand can fill your body's need for comfort food this time of year. A homemade soup will also have less sodium, and can be great for leftovers for the week when you're craving more substance! Try this yummy White Bean, Kale and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe from Be Whole Be You.
I hope we can all find something healthy to enhance an existing routine, or create something new to give you a jumpstart on your New Year's resolution. Your body and sanity will thank you come January 1st!!