Four ways for you to have a healthier holiday season

Four ways for you to have a healthier holiday seasonFour ways for you to have a healthier holiday seasonTrigger warningtodays episode of the podcast touches lightly upon dietary considerations that may be triggering for some.Tis the season for quality time with family and friends. But between holiday travel, shopping, and oodles of face time with family, it can be a stressful time of year, too.And while I absolutely love how my familys holiday traditions tend to center around delicious, decadent food, Im bedrngnis a big fan of the sedentary nature of so much celebrating.But with a little bit of foresight, we all can have a healthier holiday season.Heres what Im doing this year to have happy, healthier holidays1. Schedule outdoor family funThis is a great time of year to sign up for family fun runs and 5k races. Theres a hugely popular turkey trot race near my hometown in Manchester, CT that I missed out on this year (Brad and I hosted our first Thanksgiving for a change), but its alw ays such a fun and feel-good way to abflug off your day.I like to find a nice spot for a family hike on holidays, especially on those days that end with hours and hour of eating amazing food. I feel so much better indulging when I know Ive really worked up an appetite and can lounge without feeling like Ive been lethargic all day long.It might be as simple as getting outside to toss a frisbee or football with family members, an inter-generational form of fun youll often see us partake in when Im home for the holidays. If youre in a snowy climate, making a snowman or going sledding gets you up and moving just the same. Even just taking a walk around the block with the dogs is better than nothing, and will get your body moving and still provide some quality time for connecting with loved ones.2. Move before mealsEven if you cant seem to get your family members on board for some outdoor fun, I always try to give myself time to move my body before big meals. I have to remind myself that my hyperactive nature means I crave the stress-busting benefits of fitness more than some of my family members do. And giving myself permission to sneak away for a quick jog or fitness class isnt rude. Im not breaking from the pack or abandoning family time. Im ensuring that I can show up as my best, most patient and kind version of myself.While carving out solo exercise time when Im home for the holidays isnt easy when your family has a pack mentality like mine does. But its a form of self-care And Ive realized over the years that martyring myself to be with my family 24/7 while Im home can tischset me up to explode like stress-filled ticking time bomb.After even a quick 20-minute sweat session, Ive worked up a big appetite, revved up my metabolism, and can now benefit from the mind-clearing calm that I need before a big holiday feast.3. Get in on the greensWhile Im not one to dish out dietary advice, holiday meals are so delightfully decadent that its easy to over-do it. This is especially true in my moms house where delicious rich food is part of our family values. But poor Brad, whos more of a daily PBJ kind of simple eater, welches once home with me for a week of my moms cooking and ended up waking up in the middle of the night with stabbing back pain coming from his very-overwhelmed gallbladder. His body was justnotused to the amount of buttery goodness that was coming out of my mothers kitchen.So my rule of thumb is just to be mindful about having something green on my plate. Whether its something fresh like a salad, or even if its a rich take on vegetables like green bean casserole, making sure that somewhere on my plate veggies are in the mix can help me from feeling completely weighed down by those delicious fried latkes, Christmas ham, and decadent desserts.4. Dont set big new health goalsFinally, the key for me is to not over-do it with any kind of restrictive eating or lofty new health goals during the holidays. For me, food, friends, and family are what this season is all about. Not calorie-counting.Instead of setting yourself up with a restrictive diet, just aim to maintain something close to your usual daily health and exercise regimen. After all, plenty of research shows that the sensation ofdeprivationultimately leads to major rebound. So lower the bar Dont set crazy-ambitious new fitness goals save that ish for the New Year and give yourself permission to indulge during this festive time of year.Because personally, depriving myself while sitting down in front of an amazing spread of holiday delights sounds like the worst way to spend the holidays.This article was originally published onBossedUp.