The holidays are such a wonderful time of year! They are full of doing things with people you love and celebrating! The holidays are also one of the busiest times of the year. It’s important to feel your best when you are running from party to party or family get together to family get together. Here are a few tips to help you stay healthy and feel great this holiday season.

1. Get good rest. Sleep is an imperative part of feeling your best and looking your best. Did anyone see the segment on the Today Show about how much sleep affects appearance? Not only does it affect how you look, it also plays a part in how you handle stress, and we know the holidays can be stressful. When you are well-rested you are able to make better choices. Whether that means only having 2 cookies instead of 4 or not snapping at your sister for something stupid, you are able to make better decisions. So get a good night’s rest whenever you can and you will be much better off. (This is coming from the person who has been getting up with little A twice a night lately.)
2. Stay active. Even if you can’t make it to the gym for a full hour spinning class, do something. Take a walk around the block, do 20 pushups and some core work, jump around your house like I did yesterday, or make it to half of a class. If you stay active, will feel good about yourself.
3. Wash your hands. With all of the parties and get togethers, there is a lot of hugging, kissing and touching. Make sure you wash your hands more often than you usually do to help prevent the spreading of germs. It doesn’t take much to get you sick when you are tired and run down.
4. Eat a healthy breakfast. Keep up your routine of having a smoothie or a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast in the morning. If you start your day on a healthy note, you are more likely to stay with it all day. A healthy breakfast will give you energy without weighing you down. It will also prevent you from being starving and grabbing something not as good for you mid-morning.
5. Use your calendar. Pay attention to what you have scheduled so you don’t over commit yourself and stress out about it.
6. Don’t go to a party hungry. If you are starving when you walk into a party, you are more likely to over indulge in party food. Have a light but substantial snack before you go. Some good ideas are: apple with pb, 1/2 a smoothie with skim milk and protein, small salad with veggies, chickpeas and balsamic or a yogurt!
7. Stay hydrated. Drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water is good for you everyday but especially when you are eating more salty foods and drinking more alcohol than usual. Make sure to drink at least the recommended amount of water, if not more. Your body will thank you!
8. Buckle Up! There are tons of people on the roads this time of year, and the roads can be slippery and snowy. Make sure you put on your seat belt every time you get in the car. This should be nothing new, just a reminder!
9. Take your vitamins. Remember to take your vitamins with you if you travel. Anything that will help your immune system is important this time of year!
10. Stop worrying and enjoy yourself. The holidays are about being with people you love more than anything. So don’t worry so much and relax! It will all be over before you know it and you want to make sure you enjoyed it!

We are looking forward to a great time with our little Elf!

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