Holiday celebrations, family, friends, and food are all abundant during winter break. It can be so easy to brush aside the importance of healthy habits. Give yourself the gift of self-care this holiday season, and try to…
1. Just eat one!
Heaps of homemade food tempt overindulgence. Keep this rule for yourself: simply take “one” or a tiny portion of each food item on the dinner table. This will allow you to enjoy your grandma’s mashed potatoes without stretching your belly.
2. Be an “active” listener
Want to stay caught up with your workouts? Catch up! Reach out to an old friend and substitute a lunch date with a walk, hike, run, trip to the gym or workout class. You’ll be able to simultaneously stay in touch and stay in shape.
3. Play Santa
Your holiday shopping, per hour, will burn roughly 200 calories per hour. Head to the mall to burn calories AND money! Yay!
4. Wash (and watch) your hands
While traveling, always bring hand sanitizer and be conscious of what you touch before using your hands to eat. Airports and public spaces crawl with pathogens during times of heavy travel. Railings and door handles within such spaces, for example, are examples of highly populated areas for germs.
5. Come with gifts…and water
Just like you would on campus, carry a bottle or glass of water with you everywhere you go–even throughout the house. Hydration is so important for the body to maintain a healthy immune system, particularly during flu season.
6. When they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie, take one!
If you decide to treat yourself occasionally, actually treat yourself. As far as indulgences go, don’t eat something if you like it; eat something if you love it.
7. Be a jean(ius)
Have a hard time remembering to eat smart? Denim will do it. Sport those skinny jeans instead of sweats: the tight squeeze won’t let you forget.
8. Spread cheer, not sickness
This goes back to washing your hands. Always, always do so before and after preparing food and interacting with relatives and friends. Be careful not to touch your face often; this is a hotspot for the entrance of germs into the body.
Have a healthy holiday!