Over the holidays, it's really easy to eat too much, drink too much, and generally disregard the hard work you've been doing all year long.
But, it is possible to enjoy the holidays without ruining all your hard work.
You just need our holiday health tips!
Think it’s OK to relax your eating plan over the holidays?
Consider this: eating just 200-300 calories extra per day, you could easily add 3 pounds in the space of a few weeks.
That’s 3 pounds of weight that you've got to lose again.
And 200-300 calories is just a couple of cookies or a piece of pecan pie.
You don’t need to skip the festivities, though! You just need a plan to support your healthy lifestyle, and that’s what our holiday health tips are for.
Use the following holiday health tips to help you make the right choices and still enjoy the holidays!
Download the Fit Father Project Holiday Recipe Guide — it's got everything from starters to sides to main courses and, yes, desserts!
Holiday Health Tips to Get You Through the Season
Moderation
Regardless of if you're getting carry-out, delivery, or cooking at home, moderation is always key.
Remember, you're trying to lose or maintain your weight.
It's OK to try things or enjoy your favorite holiday dishes, but only in moderation.
Whenever possible, adopt the perfect plate approach — 1/2 vegetables, 1/4 protein, and 1/4 quality carbohydrates.
If this isn't possible, then small portions are the safest bet.
Prepare
The holidays are a busy time, and it can be hard to stick to your healthy eating habits.
To help you make the right decisions, simply take a look at this free 1-day meal plan or choose some of the recipes from your new FF30X membership.
Pre-prepare the food and keep it in the refrigerator or freezer. You’ll have something healthy to eat throughout the entire week!
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Let Loose
Accept that it’s the holidays and that it’s OK to indulge a little, but not the entire time.
If you’re going to let loose one evening, continue to eat regular meals afterward and try to restrict your calorie content.
Restricting your calories at other times will help to balance out your indulgence.
Feel free to schedule an intense workout in the future to tip the scales in your favor.
Pause Before Seconds
One of the simplest and most effective techniques to avoid overeating is to have a small portion and then take a moment before you decide to have seconds.
By simply pausing for 30 seconds, your body and your brain will tell you if you really need seconds or not.
Then, don’t be afraid to say no!
Keep Your Distance
It’s easier to control what you’re eating by staying away from the table or area where all the food is laid out.
The closer you are, the easier it is to graze without thinking about it.
Try to make it as difficult as possible to get seconds, grab another handful of snacks, or have just one more cookie.
Choose Your Drinks Wisely
Festive eggnog can have as much as 500 calories in one glass, and an average glass of wine or beer is between 150 and 250 calories.
Consider what you’re drinking carefully.
The lowest calorie option is usually a spirit on the rocks. The ice will dilute the alcohol slightly to help keep you hydrated and reduce the impact of the alcohol.
Or check out these healthy holiday cocktails!
Find out how to eat healthy on the weekend – or over the holidays – and stick to your nutrition goals!
Have Healthy Recipes At Hand
There are hundreds of potential recipes available when you sign up with the FF30X program.
Download a few and keep them handy. It's a great way of looking after your health and that of your family.
That could make this one of the best holiday health tips of all!
Here are some more recipes you can try and you can also download the Fit Father Project Holiday Recipe Guide!
Drink More Water
You already know water is essential for your body.
But don’t forget that drinking water is also a great way of filling up, effectively reducing your appetite and helping you to stick to your healthy eating lifestyle.
This is more than one of the best holiday health tips. You should do this all year round!
As a bonus, cold water lowers your core temperature, forcing your body to boost your metabolism to correct your core temperature. It burns extra calories while doing this.
Here are some quick tips and targets for you to hit your daily hydration levels.
Take Time To Exercise
Many people stop doing their regular exercise routine throughout the holidays.
If this is you, then don’t feel bad about it.
However, a little exercise can go a long way.
Try to move as much as possible, whether you’re taking the dog for a long walk or running around with the kids.
Anything you do will help you to stay active and keep burning those calories.
Try these tips for staying active over the holidays!
Sleep
Sleep is essential to your continued good health.
When you sleep, your body balances its hormones and repairs itself.
But, a lack of sleep can also make your brain feel foggy, making it harder to choose the healthy option.
In fact, your brain may even start to crave sugar to dispel the fogginess making it harder for you to resist those holiday temptations.
Here's what you need to know about sleeping and how to determine which type of sleeper you are.
These 7 ways to sleep better will improve your sleeping habits, helping you to wake up rested in the morning.
Use Small Plates
The average appetizer contains around 200 calories!
One of the simplest and most effective holiday health tips is to choose a smaller plate.
This will stop you from being able to put too much on it, helping your portion control without you even having to think about it.
Of course, you have to avoid thinking that seconds are OK because you had a small plate!
Use the Scales
In general, it’s a good idea to weigh yourself every week or two.
This will ensure your weight targets are going in the right direction without placing too much emphasis on weight.
Good health is more than just what you weigh.
However, during the holidays, it can be a good idea to weigh yourself every other day.
The thought of having to do this and the sight of the scales moving can help you to make the right food choices.
Holiday health tips work best when you need to be accountable for your actions.
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Fill Up On Vegetables
Vegetables are great for making you feel full, but also provide many of the basic nutrients your body needs.
If you’re concerned about the food you're having, then focus on eating the vegetables. These will usually be the healthiest option.
You can always add a little protein to keep your body balanced.
Food Journal
We've already mentioned accountability, and it is certainly one of the strongest motivators to stay on the healthy side of the holidays.
One of the best holiday health tips is simply to start a food journal. This way, you can record everything you eat and calculate an approximate calorie intake.
Compare this to your maintenance calories, and you’ll soon realize where you’re going wrong.
Even the thought of having to record all your food can stop you from eating the wrong things.
Buddy Up
If you have a friend or relative that is trying to live more healthily, then you can buddy up with them.
If you haven’t got a friend doing this, then join F30X today and find a buddy!
Then all you need to do is challenge them — the one who puts on the most weight over the holidays loses (what they lose is up to you two and we won't ask!).
This will definitely help you to make the right choices when faced with an abundance of food and drink.
Keep In Touch
One of the most important ways of restricting your eating and choosing the healthy option is to make sure you’re accountable.
This can be difficult if you're the only one in the house doing that!
However, join the FF30X today, and you’ll have all the support you need along with the need to be accountable.
Simply thinking about sharing your weight gain will be enough for you to remember the holiday health tips and make the right decisions.
Before you know it, you won’t just be the man you want to be, you’ll be the man others want to be!
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*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on holiday health tips.
