Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, tis the season for racing around, baking, shopping, hosting, eating and more eating. Am I right?
For many of us, it’s enough to drive our health to the ground. And by ‘ground’, I mean zap our energy, and immunity. Not to mention pile on a few extra pounds.
But I’m here to say you can still enjoy some holiday cheer – including cookies, chocolate and stuffing – without totally jeopardizing your health or sanity. Trust me on this!
Here’s a few ‘healthy hacks’ to help:
1. Liquid up!
This one isn’t new, however the importance of staying hydrated cannot be stressed enough. By loading up on fluids, you’re much more able to flush-out toxins, keep metabolism going and boost immunity – particularly with warming, detox teas such as this one:
2. Say Cheers!
When it comes to holiday cocktails, skip the eggnog (obvious!) and go with champagne instead. Way less calories and sugar. Quality counts tho! Typically, the more expensive the bottle, the less hangover. Trust me on this! There’s a reason celebs only drink Dom or Moet :).
3. Lighten-up Your Baking
When making cookies and other holiday treats, swap-out white flours and use paleo flours that are lower in carbs and higher in nutrients such as almond or coconut. (ie: Bob’s Red Mill). Also, remove or replace sugar and use natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup or Xylitol.
4. Get a Daily Sweat
If it means getting up just a bit earlier to squeeze-in a quick workout, do it. Even just 20 minutes of activity is enough to maintain a healthy metabolism and burn fat. (Check out my 8-minute workout here). Chase your workout with a healthy green smoothie (see my daily here) and you’ll be less likely to eat the sugary treats later in the day too.
5. Supplement wisely
Start with a high quality probiotic for gut health, digestion and bloating. Next, take magnesium (bisglycinate) at night as it helps calm muscles and promotes healthy bowels. For extra immunity support, be sure to load-up on Vitamin D3, Vitamin C and Zinc. Last, if you find you’re under a lot of stress and often crashing in the afternoons, try an adrenal support.
