How to Stay Active & Healthy This Holiday Season
This time of year is filled with family, friends, and most importantly, good food. With colder weather rolling in and the sun setting earlier, the holiday season seems like the perfect time to curl up on the couch and relax. However, it can also mean our healthy lifestyles and fitness routines accidentally take the back seat.
This doesn’t have to be the case. Maintaining your health and wellness during the holiday season doesn’t mean you can’t eat Grandma’s famous cookies or skip the gym for a Yankee swap. Staying active can be as simple as staying on your feet and indulging in moderation. Healthtrax is here to guide you through your healthiest holiday season yet.
Prep Your Meals
Meal prep isn’t just for fitness gurus and bodybuilders. Prepping meals at the start of your week is not only convenient and time-saving, it also encourages healthy eating habits. Opt for recipes that are well rounded, with plenty of greens and proteins. This will help you keep your nutrition on track and develop healthy habits to continue throughout the holidays.
Looking for some meal ideas? Here are 5 quick and healthy recipes to prep for your week:
1. Greek Couscous Salad by Chelsea’s Messy Apron
2. Smoky Roasted Sausage and Vegetables by Budget Bytes
3. One Pot Thai Quinoa Bowl with Chicken by With Salt & Wit
4. Baked Lime Chicken Bowls by Yummy Healthy Easy
5. Overnight Oats 5 Ways by Cooking Classy
Plan Your Fitness Routine
Have you ever showed up to the gym with no idea what to do? It can be discouraging when you walk through the doors after work, with little energy to come up with a few workouts on your own. This is where planning your workout ahead of time comes in. Keeping a notebook handy or tracking workouts on your smart phone are great ways to develop a routine so you know which muscle groups to focus on each day. This can help you avoid possible injury and keep your workouts well-rounded. Plus, planning your workouts can keep you motivated during a time of year when all you want to do after work is get cozy on the couch by a fire.
If you’re not sure how to begin, consider Healthtrax’s Healthy Start Program, which can help you develop workouts that target your specific goals, needs and areas of interest. A personal trainer will review your health history and body composition to build a workout plan that’s right for you. You’ll also receive a complimentary personal training session to get you started.
There are plenty of other ways to stay active and motivated too. Healthtrax offers a variety of fitness classes both in-person or online to keep you moving during this holiday season.
Get & Stay Organized
Sticking to your goals and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is tricky this time of year. Making a schedule and staying organized can go a long way. Not only will it help you make time for all your priorities, you’ll feel better both mentally and physically.
Have you ever planned your work outfit the night before to save you precious minutes in the morning? Packing your gym bag ahead of time can be just as helpful. You’ll feel stress-free knowing your sneakers and protein shake are ready to go, whether you hit the gym before, during or after work hours. This way, you’ll have no excuse but to stay active when you’re already prepared!
Making to-do lists is another great tactic during this busy and chaotic holiday season. Keep lists of all your major to-dos, events and personal goals. Make sure you’re able to see this list clearly and daily—we recommend keeping it on your desk at work or on your fridge. That way, you’ll always know exactly what you need to get done and when.
Rest & Recharge
Late night get-togethers and long work hours can drain your internal battery. It’s important to pair physical activity with a good night’s rest to help improve your health overall. Getting a good night’s sleep can boost your immune system, alleviate anxiety and stress and help keep you on the right track this the holiday season.
Live a Little
Staying active and healthy during the holiday season doesn’t mean cutting out all the things you love about this time of year. Eat those Christmas cookies, drink that mulled wine—and don’t get frustrated with yourself the next day when you do. You deserve to enjoy life, and you can do so by balancing your health and wellness with some time to just have fun.