The holidays are a time that I always thoroughly enjoy. Coming home, seeing family and friends and taking a break from school allows me to reset before jumping back into the stress of classes. Unfortunately, sometimes this means that I over-indulge. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing bad about treating yourself over the holidays! But for me, the new year is the perfect time to form new habits, especially after shoving cookies and pie in my mouth all December long.
My day typically starts by snoozing my 8:30 alarm once or twice. Once I’m finally up and done scrolling on TikTok for 30 minutes, I’ll do my skincare, brush my teeth and totally stay in my pajamas for a few more hours. Today, my breakfast consisted of two slices of multigrain toast with mashed avocado. I topped my toast with salt, pepper, everything but the bagel seasoning and a drizzle of sriracha. Don’t forget about a tall glass of water!
Once I’m done with breakfast, I’ll scroll through my email and get started on any work or school assignments I need to get done for the day. I’ll usually spend about 2 hours doing this. I try to complete my school and work tasks periodically throughout the day so that I don’t feel so bombarded all at once.
Now it’s time for me to get dressed for my workout! Lately, a good pair of leggings and a half-zip has been my go-to outfit in this cold weather. The newest workout that I’ve been trying is killer. I will turn my best playlist on and walk for one song, then run for two. I repeat this over and over until I can’t run anymore. On days I don’t feel like running, I’ll do dance workout videos that I find on YouTube or my own circuit. I find that working out is so much easier when you’re doing something fun!
Once I finish my workout, I’ll grab my dog Daisy and take her for a long walk while I’m already sweaty. Usually by this time of day, I reach a little over 5,000 steps. Getting at least 10,000 steps a day has been crucial for me. I find that aiming to reach this goal has kept me super active and is so rewarding once you see that you’ve completed all of your steps for the day.
Next, I’ll hop in the shower and then start to make lunch. My lunches always differ, but today I made a salad with mixed greens, tomato, onion, cucumber and grilled chicken with a vinaigrette dressing. It was so good and so much more filling than you might think! Of course, more water is key here. Eliminating unnecessary liquid calories like juice and soda is such an easy way to cut out bad calories.
Until dinner, I usually do more school work, tidy up around the house or even throw in a little ab circuit if I feel like my workout earlier in the day didn’t quite cut it. This is also a good time for me to get more steps in! This week, I made a big batch of fried rice with shrimp for dinner. If you do it right, this meal can still be pretty healthy. I prefer brown rice over white rice. I’ll throw that in a big pan with an egg, veggies and some frozen shrimp. Low sodium soy sauce and whatever seasonings you like will be what completely elevate this meal. I top mine off with a few slices of avocado and have some more water to drink. This meal definitely satisfies any unhealthy cravings I have.
By the end of the day, I always find that I want to do something relaxing for myself. Whether this be taking a hot bath, watching Netflix or sitting on my porch with my dog and a glass of wine, I strive to end the day on a good note. Being dedicated to shedding those extra calories after the holidays definitely takes effort and discipline, but that doesn’t mean that you have to cut out the things that you enjoy. I already feel so much better, and it’s not even the end of January. Don’t forget to stay healthy, but also to do what makes you happy!
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