15 Game-Changing Tips to Stay Healthy and Stress-Free This Holiday Season

‘Tis the season! The holidays are officially in full swing and I know you can feel it. The key is how do we celebrate a month of joy, giving, and celebration—without getting overwhelmed by all the holiday stress, food, and noise? 

That is where I come in! 

Because if you’re anything like me, you’re committed to keeping your healthy habits during the holidays. Remember we aren’t about perfection but we are about finding that perfect balance to maintain our health and still enjoy the fine things like good food, wine and fun! 

And let’s be honest…

This is the hardest time of the year to maintain healthy habits. 

You may already be feeling overwhelmed by the holiday challenges and obligations. As amazing as the holiday season is, we often can feel triggered by conversations, grief, overwhelming schedules, and endless to-do lists. That is why we must focus on what we can control. Our choices are that thing!

So in this blog, I want to focus on the tips that will keep you in control of what you can control and set you up for success this holiday season.

These tips have helped me and 1000’s of others to enjoy the season with a bit less overwhelm and without losing all our progress from this year’s hard work.

Let’s dive in…

My SIMPLE tips to help you THRIVE this Holiday Season

These tips will 100% work if you implement them. 🙂

#1. Set an Intention🙏🏼

You know me, intention queen. Why? Because they work. Create a personal intention or goal for this holiday season.

It could be to hit your 10K steps every day, hit your protein goals, get in one round of our G-Fit Circuit, give yourself a bit more grace, etc. Honestly, anything that feels good to you. 

This is a great time to grab your journal and write out your intention. I like to keep my journal handy and physically write out my intention every morning so it stays top of mind.  This is a powerful tool that will set your day up for success! Don’t just think it, write it! There is Power in Pen to Paper! 

#2. Move Your Body, Especially After Meals!🚶

Walking after meals relieves holiday stress, lowers your blood sugar, boosts your metabolic health, and prevents weight gain. Yes, there is something to our step-challenge that goes far beyond STEPtember. The power of moving our body can help offset increased holiday eating AND weight gain.  Consider revisiting our 10K challenge OR create your own step goal…

#3. Eat your Protein BEFORE Holiday Events 🍗

Sounds crazy to eat before you head out to eat but DO IT. 

Before you go to a party or holiday event, have a shake, 6 oz greek yogurt, a few hard boiled eggs or lean protein. This will be key to helping you not overeat. You never know when things will be served so better to serve yourself first.

#4. Pick your BEST CHOICES🤔

Once you arrive at an event, survey all the food available before you start indulging. Choose the BEST options and leave the rest. 

Protein first, veggies then give yourself freedom to make smart intentional choices…

Remember fiber is not only a FREE food but it slows down digestion, keeping you full and blood sugar stable.

#5. S.O.B.E.R. 💭

Before you eat something that may not be the “best choice”, remember our exercise SOBER. Stop, Observe, Breathe, Evaluate, then Respond. This exercise take you from what could be a mindless pick to being more intentional. Anything that comes from an intentional state is thought through and OKAY!

The goal is to eat with intention, not just to eat.

#6. Choose Drinks Wisely 🍸

Be mindful of all the beverages you drink. The holidays bring about lots of holiday treats– from seasonal coffee drinks to festive alcoholic cocktails.

Alcohol can cause you to overindulge and overeat and not to mention, be loaded with unnecessary sugar. Be mindful of your choices, keep it CLEAR, drink water with every drink and be smart. 

I like to choose sparkling water with a clear alcohol such as vodka or tequila with a squeeze of lime or lemon, stevia and pomegranate seeds, to give it a little holiday joy.

#7. BYO Healthy Dish🥗

This is something I’ve been doing for years! You never know what will be served but at least you know what you will be serving… 

When you offer to bring your own dish, you’ll know there is one healthy option then you can couple it with the other healthiest options served (you know there is always some form of protein served).  Set yourself up for success and BYO. There are so many amazing holiday recipes within the G-Fit App. Find a holiday fav and share the G-Fit Love.

#8- Recognize YOUR Triggers⚡

98% of diets fail because people are unaware of their personal emotional triggers.  Around the holidays, emotional eating can be so common– especially as a way to fill any voids inside you to create a false release of dopamine for that “happiness” hit.

You may also be overwhelmed or exhausted which can lead to overeating. KNWO your triggers and learn another way to fill you than with food. Consider going for a walk, journaling, calling a friend, picking a meditation, taking a warm bath or reading a book.

The key is to recognize your personal triggers so you are more aware of them. This awareness can help you to make more intentional and wise decisions…this brings us to our next tip…

#9- Practice Meditation, Mindfulness and Gratitude 🧠

It seems like everybody is talking about meditation these days but not because it is a trend but because it is a powerful tool.

There is no RIGHT way to meditate. Find the way that works for you whether that be silent, guided, breathing techniques etc.

The key is to Sit and Commit.

Even a few moments of meditation can leave you feeling more balanced, grounded, calm and at ease throughout the rest of your day. The holiday season needs you meditating! 

#10- Do Less, Enjoy More! (sound familiar?) Less = More! 🚫

I know– this is easier said than done during the holidays but less really is more. The MORE you can take off your plate the better. There are some things that have crept up such as shopping, meal prep and planning and possible traveling so that means what can you take OFF your plate?!

Just like with our workouts, LESS = MORE. The sooner you can incorporate this mantra into all areas of your life, the sooner your life will completely change. In a world trying to convince us that more is better, join our Less is More movement!

Be grateful of the small things, don’t sweat the small stuff and when it doubt- let it go…

#11-  Stick With Your Daily Routine! ⏰

Don’t let the holidays knock you off your typical daily schedule. We all THRIVE off of consistency and having a schedule. The minute we let our routine slip, is the minute we can lose our ground. Do your BEST to keep your daily habits and routine intact. Continue your morning routines and stay consistent!

And always remember to make YOU a non-negotiable, even if your house if full and you have things to do- do you FIRST and stick to your routine.

#12- Forget Perfection✋

Stop obsessing over the need for everything to be perfect. (recovering perfectionist here). Perfection is the thief of joy and takes you further away from it. Embrace every moment find joy in imperfections. When you realize the thing you were striving for all along doesn’t exist, you suddenly find JOY in the small imperfect things.

One thing that helps me is to cue mantra “GOOD” when things don’t go my way. GOOD because they are reminding you that “you’ve got this and everything is going to be a-okay!

#13- Grace in your Pace 💫

In the wintertime, it’s easy to find yourself feeling guilty for not having the same energy and get up as you did a season ago… It’s OKAY to spend time cuddled up watching a holiday movie. It’s OKAY to not move at the same pace. Give yourself grace. This is the season that builds your new years momentum.

Grace in your pace. Just as the season comes, it will go so BE IN IT and don’t wish your it away. Tune into the YOU ARE NORMAL Podcast HERE.

#14- Take time to UNPLUG📵

While the G-Fit Methods incorporate a weekly UNPLUG, taking time throughout the week to UNPLUG will be crucial to your stress free holiday season. Consider a time block to implement a digital detox or specifically when you are with family and spending quality time.

Turn your phone on “ do not disturb” or even bump it into airplane mode for a few hours and really be present in the moment with those surrounding you.

#15- Turn Up Your Favorite Holiday Music 🎧

Something about holiday music brings in so much joy. I use to wait until after Thanksgiving to turn on Christmas music but why wait. Something about the jingle makes your heart so happy. DO IT, don’t wait!

Crank up the tunes and just feel what holiday music does to your soul…

To Wrap This All Up ….

Navigating the season with mindfulness, self-care, and minimal holiday stress can be a challenge but with these tips, I know you can THRIVE through the season! 

Trust me, when you implement even a few of these holiday tips, you’ll finish out this year feeling stronger, more motivated, and healthier than ever!