Here’s the thing: it is less than a month to Thanksgiving and you have been really busy this fall. You might be one of those rare and lucky people who can simply look forward to the holidays and get excited about family, friends, and food. However, if you’re like most of us, there’s a good chance you are already feeling guilty about holiday indulgences.
Considering there is less than a month, there isn’t much time to go on a proper diet. Don’t worry, there is still hope!
Here are some easy to follow tips that will help you feel better about yourself in the upcoming holiday season. It may be a matter of feeling better or a desire of some to drop a few pounds. Whether or not this actually happens, practicing some basic healthy choices will help you approach the soon-to-come vast amounts of delicious food in a new light. You can still enjoy eating, but with a mindfulness of how much and what.
1. PACK A SNACK
No matter how you personally choose to distribute your meals throughout the days, there always the chance that you will get hungry and want a snack. The key is to pack a snack and bring it with you. You’re really busy, we get it. It’s easy to grab an unsweetened yogurt, an apple with almond butter, or some veggies and olive oil hummus. Bring one of these 100-200 calorie snack along and you can avoid stopping at the vending machine when that three o’clock hunger pain sets in.
2. DRINK LOTS OF WATER
This is obviously something we all know we should do. Ok, I get it. DRINK WATER!. It’s not always so easy to remember, so here’s your reminder. Get a reusable water bottle, preferably metal so that you don’t get gross toxins leaching into you’re water from the plastic. Set a goal for how many times you will drink the entire thing during the day. After a few days of consciously drinking more water you probably won’t be getting headaches, you will feel full in between meal, and your body will be running more smoothly.
3. SLEEP
This is another one that we all know, but there is real scientific evidence backing it. We need more sleep than you’d think for our bodies to function at the highest level possible. This goes beyond metabolism and trying to lose weight. While you sleep, your body rebuilds and restores itself. Without these key hours of rest, you will deprive yourself of the opportunity to start each day with a “full tank of gas.” Get some sleep people! You will feel better throughout the day and be able to make better food choices because of it.
4. WHAT THE HECK IS IN THIS?
Last but not least, let us have a little reality check. How often do you read the labels on your food? Ideally the answer is, “Um…I don’t eat food with labels because I don’t each any packaged food. Everything I eat is fresh from the farmers’ market.” This would be the perfect response, but unfortunately it isn’t all that common. It’s more possible than you’d think though. Lots of people have access to farmers’ markets and without knowing it. Check out your area. There may be one near by. The point is, if you check to make sure you know what all the words on the package label mean, you’re making a good step towards eating cleanly. Why in the world would you want to eat something and not know what it is? Monooligosaccharides, glucosamine hydrochloride, sodium selenite…what the hell are those things? Word to the wise: know what you’re eating and you will automatically be eating healthier.
So there is it. Bring healthy snacks with you, drink a lot more water from your fancy new metal water bottle, sleep more than eight hours, and know what you are eating. It’s simple enough. By practicing these things and remembering them during the holidays will help you approach this magical, yet sometimes overwhelming, time of year with a new mindset and idea of health.