How To Maintain Your Family's Healthy Lifestyle This Holiday Season

How To Maintain Your Family's Healthy Lifestyle This Holiday Season

The holidays are full of great food, good memories, and a list of things to get done. Sometimes this season can bring about a change in our typically healthy lifestyle because of all the sweets, treats, and stress. 

So how can you prevent a cloud of regret this January when you look back over how you treated your body over the last quarter of the year?

7 Healthy Holiday Tips

1. Find healthy alternatives to your favorite dishes.

Favorite holiday dishes can be healthier by switching ingredients to healthy substitutes. Use applesauce instead of oil when baking, greek yogurt instead of sour cream, honey instead of sugar, instead of white, and choose multigrain instead of white. The list goes on! 

2. Everything in moderation.

Resist the urge to have seconds on food items that aren’t full of nutrition. You don’t have to deny yourself sweet treats just don’t overload on them.

3. Opt to always add more vegetables.

Always have vegetables as the largest portion of your family’s meal. This will help to fill the belly with nutrition, warding off the urge to splurge on healthy items like slices of bread.

4. Get adequate sleep.

Sleep and taking time to relax are essential. And getting enough sleep will keep the whole family happy and healthy heading into the new year. Your kids may be sleeping more over winter break but a week or so before school starts back up again, wake them up around the same time each day, so going back to school won’t be a huge shock to their system.

5. Don’t skip exercising.

Keep it moving during the holiday season. Even on the days that you are heading to the shopping mall, you can opt to park further from the entrance and take an extra lap around the mall before leaving. Another way to get exercise in would be to grab the family and head out for a walk after dinner. Make it a game and challenge them to find something starting with a certain letter or color during the walk.

6. Drink more water.

It can be easy to become dehydrated when your schedule is full, and the key is to prevent hydration by always bringing a reusable bottle with you everywhere you go. Hydration helps you to feel better, look better and sleep better! 

7. Celebrate, don’t stress.

When it’s time to celebrate, choose to relax. Enjoy making new memories with your family and allow your children to have a few splurges.

The stress and excitement of the holidays can take an extra toll on you and your family. We hope these seven holiday tips make your season brighter and help you to remember that being healthy doesn't have to stop during the holiday season. End your year healthy!