The holidays are over! Hopefully you spent some quality time with your loved ones and indulged in some of your favorite foods this past week. Chances are that the holidays may have thrown off your typical routine. With travel, busy schedules, stress, running around to see people, and eating more food than usual (dessert queen right here!), you might be feeling a little sluggish. I know I am! No need to wait until 2019 to start feeling good; you can start now! Here are my top five tips for getting back on track with your healthy lifestyle after the holidays!
- HYDRATE– It’s time to swap out the alcohol and bring on the water! For every one gram of carbohydrate stored in the body, we retain two to three grams of water. This means that if you’ve been indulging in more sugar the past week than you usually do, that you might be feeling a little fluffy and bloated. Drinking water will help to eliminate bloat, keep you feeling energized, and will help to eliminate toxins. Aim to increase your daily water intake by 25%. I usually drink one gallon a day, but if I’ve been overeating (especially carbohydrate heavy), I’ll increase my water intake to 1.25 gallons a day for a few days to help me feel better. Track your water intake to make sure you are getting enough!
- GO GREEN– Leafy green vegetables are high in fiber, nutrients, and vitamins. After eating more processed foods than usual over the holidays, I always like to add in as many greens as possible to replenish the lack of nutrients I’ve been getting. The nutrients in some leafy greens also help to fight off bloat. I try to eat my leafy greens, but if I’m in a rush or traveling, I’ll pick up a green juice to get them in. If you opt for the juice route, just make sure your juice is packed with more greens than fruits to avoid unnecessary sugar.
- MOVE- If you are still traveling for the holidays, you may not have access to a gym, but getting some movement in is a must! Take a walk in the evenings to check out the Christmas lights with your family. If you don’t have access to a gym, try a workout at home using your body weight or resistance bands. Another option is to sign up for a workout program that you don’t typically do! A lot of specialty studios like Orange Theory and Pure Barre have specials during the holidays for people with family members in town. This year I decided to participate in a Pure Barre special and I have been loving it! It’s outside of my typical routine, but since I am enjoying it so much, I keep going practically every day! The motivation of having something different to do and wanting to maximize the special I bought keeps me going! Maybe you can’t do your typical workout, but even ten minutes of movement a day is better than the full hour workout that you never do, right?
- EAT REGULAR MEALS– Don’t skip meals and don’t starve yourself in an effort to offset the extra calories from the past few days. Keep your metabolism going by fueling it with good food every few hours. The sooner you can get back into your normal eating habits, the sooner you’ll feel back to your usual self!
- BONE BROTH & SPICES- Fight off inflammation with bone broth and spices! Alcohol and processed foods which are often consumed more than usual this time of year, tend to cause some inflammation. You can help fight this off with some natural remedies such as drinking bone broth and adding spices such as turmeric and ginger into your diet. There is a bone broth brand called Pacific that I buy at Whole Foods that I usually drink. They even make one with turmeric and ginger in it. It’s everything you need all in one! Bone broth is rich in vitamins, nutrients, collagen and anti-inflammatory amino acids. As for the spices, I drink a lot of teas with ginger and turmeric in them. I’ll also make sure there is ginger or turmeric in any of the green juices that I drink when possible.
The holidays are meant to be celebrated and enjoyed! It’s okay to get off track every now and then, especially this time of year. With the holidays behind us, now is the time to start feeling good again! Try a few of these tips out and I promise you’ll feel back to your healthy and energetic self in no time.
XOXO,
Kathleen Jane
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