Holiday Survival Guide

The holidays are full of fun parties, family gatherings, special gifts, snow days, and lots and lots and lots of food! We know it can be tough to navigate the holidays with so much egg nog, charcuterie, apple pie, peppermint mocha, and food judgement from friends and family, which is why we've come up with these KEY tips to help you make it through January 2nd.

🚫 1. Don't "save up" your calories  

Aim to eat within 1 hour of waking up, and then every 3-4 hours after that, just as you normally would. If you skip breakfast, lunch, and/or your snacks, you're setting yourself up to binge later on.

🥗 2. Aim for 1+ fruit & 1+ veggie per day

By keeping up with some fruits, veggies, and protein, you're still making nutrition a priority, without having to hit your goals every day. This will also help keep up with your fiber intake so you can avoid disruptions in your digestion.

💧 3. Keep up with hydration

Travel, salty foods, and alcohol can all increase your hydration goals. It's recommended that men drink 124 fl oz/day and women drink 92 fl oz/day, which might sound like a lot for some of you. Remember that seltzer water, milk, electrolyte water, and 100% fruit juice all count towards your hydration goal too. Aim for a pale yellow urine color.

🏃‍♀️ 4. Move in a way that enhances your holidays

If going to a gym doesn't help you enjoy the holidays, find a way to move that does. You can bundle up for a wintery walk with friends/family, go sledding, skating, skiing, or snow shoeing, walk around a mall on Black Friday, or take a fun workout class. If your body needs rest, that's absolutely ok too! Do your best to avoid the all or nothing mindset for whichever path you choose.

🍪 5. Focus on flexibility, not perfection

Holiday cookies, Thanksgiving pie, and peppermint mochas can all fit into a balanced eating pattern because we know 1 meal or 1 day of eating won't change our health outcomes. But, if we have 1 cookie and then binge the rest of the cookie jar, it will likely make us feel sick. If we make that a pattern because we feel like we "failed" so we say "I'll start again in the New Year", it can become a pattern that can change our health outcomes. Let yourself have the cookie & move on.

🤝 6. Work with a Dietitian 

Research shows that individuals who work with a Dietitian are more likely to reach their health and nutrition goals. Sign up to work with one of our Dietitians today to help figure out what your body needs and feel more in control with food this holiday season.