Melina’s 7 TOP Tips to stay healthy at home during the holidays!
Now more than ever, learning how to stay healthy at home is CRUCIAL to both your physical and mental health, and it’s officially the HOLIDAY SEASON. YAY! Have you ever heard of comfort food packed with protein? For the comforting support you can feel, check out my super simple soup recipe here. Boost your body’s natural defenses and make your self-care sippable. And if you’d like to try one for yourself, click here.
Most people’s schedules are changing, not only because we’ve been thrown off our normal daily routines because of the pandemic, but NOW more than ever because things are slowly shifting back to a “new normal,” and on top of it, it’s the craziest time of year with Thanksgiving around the corner and Christmas and New Years shortly after that. The Holidays tend to fly by and the next thing you know you are up a few pounds and maybe not feeling all your best come time to celebrate NYE.
Maintaining and creating healthy habits is super important during the holidays so that you don’t compromise your overall health. Being healthy does not need to be stressful, but rather a motivator to keep both your mind and body sane, and of course seeing some results is always a plus! For those of you who follow me regularly on social media and sign up for my 60 Days Fit Challenges, you know I’m all about fitness at home. In fact, 90% of the workouts I do are at home, and I’m going to give you some of my best tips for how to maintain a healthy at-home FIT lifestyle during the holidays.
So take some notes or save this on your phone to refer back to. These 7 tips will keep you motivated, positive and STRESS FREE this holiday season:
- Go for a walk.
This is something so simple that everyone can do every single day with NO EXCUSE. I don’t care if it’s -10 degrees, get yourselves MOVING for AT LEAST 20 minutes. If you can’t get a 30-minute walk in to increase circulation, blood flow, healthy digestion, and burn some calories, then I seriously don’t know how to help you. You might as well not read the rest of the tips on how to stay healthy at home. Walking is so important and it’s the first step to starting a physical fitness routine. Yes, walking is FITNESS.
- Drink 2 glasses of water first thing in the morning.
Some of you have READ my BLOG on “Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water,” and some haven’t. Check it out and READ all the benefits of how drinking water first thing in the morning can jumpstart your health. Proper circulation, digestion health and organ function are just a few of the benefits to drinking water.
- Exercise Online
Gyms and fitness studios have changed massively and some of you may not be comfortable with the new regulations at your favorite workout spot. Social distancing has definitely made it difficult to create a proper fitness routine. All these factors can be a recipe for disaster and lead to tons of excuses and laziness. It’s so much easier to cuddle up on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa, but one of the most important habits we MUST maintain to stay healthy during this pandemic and the holiday season is EXERCISE!
What we need right now are healthy endorphins, and working out releases tons!!! Endorphins trigger a positive feeling in your body and ease depression, stress, and anxiety. Creating a better overall mood will lead to better overall health. There are tons of FREE exercise classes that you can find online, and several NEW applications offering at-home workouts to keep you motivated! I personally do offer one-on-one private training by appointment only, and I also post a ton of workouts on my social media. In fact, tons of fitness professionals do, offering several options to exercise ONLINE! BOOK with me NOW and always feel free to contact me and ask me anything to help guide you this holiday season.
- Eat LESS
One of the simplest tips I can give before any nutritional counseling or meal planning advice is to EAT LESS. That’s right, simply start cutting back on your portions. This pandemic has statistically increased obesity and overeating on a global level. AND, statistics also show that people gain an average of 5-8 pounds from Halloween until New Year. This overconsumption can get ridiculous, and people need to stop making excuses to eat more during the holidays. Start cutting down your portions and eat less. Look for healthy recipes online to bring to your next holiday gathering. Drink more water instead as I mentioned earlier – go back and READ my blog post on “Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water”.
- Eat more GREEN food.
Fill your plate up with GREEN foods. The GREENER the better. More vitamins and minerals are jammed packed into your leafy greens and cruciferous veggies. These veggies also fill you up and are very low in calories. Staying healthy requires your body to absorb a proper amount of nutrients and green foods will improve your immune and digestive systems and overall gut health. See BLOG post on GREEN POWDER to learn more about getting your greens in.
- Eat more PROTEIN.
FACTS! Top 10 reasons to eat more Protein:
- Reduces Appetite and Hunger Levels.
- Increases Muscle Mass and Strength.
- Good for Your Bones.
- Reduces Cravings and Desire for Late-Night Snacking.
- Boosts Metabolism and Increases Fat Burning.
- Lowers Your Blood Pressure.
- Helps Maintain Weight Loss.
- Helps your body repair itself – post-workout/injury
- Helps you stay fit and strong as you age.
- STAY on your Schedule!
Make sure you set your alarms, write in your calendars and stay on top of your work and family schedules. This will definitely relieve so much stress and keep you way more positive about your day. If you are having a hard time staying organized, get some tools that can help you manage your time and schedule better. This will also make you feel more productive at home and mentally feel stable. I think one the most important things that everyone needs during this crazy time of the year is a PURPOSE. A schedule will make you feel more valuable and accomplished about your day. And Remember, take everything day by day. Find what motivates you and add it to your schedule. Even the simple things like calling a friend or grocery shopping or going for that walk. Write it down and create tasks for yourself that you can check off.
Ok, NOT so hard right?!?
With these simple tips to do at home during the holidays, I can put money on the fact that you will feel way better from the inside out. This is the time to really dig deep into yourself and become aware of what you need as a person from the inside out. The holidays are a crazy time. There is no doubt about that, but just remember, health starts with the decisions that YOU make and create. No one else can do that for you!
I’m here for you every step of the way this holiday season. I know how hard it is… TRUST ME! I’m even giving away a FREE gift every Monday until NEW YEARS for YOU! Make sure you check your emails weekly because you won’t want to miss them.
Xoxo, Melina
