This year, it is even more important to stay healthy through the holiday season. But what exactly does ‘healthy’ mean? Do what is right for you! Our mission has always been to make delicious, fresh, and nutritious food convenient, affordable, and accessible to all. To us at 6AM Health, our definition of healthy is making conscious decisions to improve your life to reach the goals that you set for yourself. We’re just here to help!
As we approach the final holiday season stretch, here are 10 tips for how you might choose to stay healthy:
1. Safety First.
To all of our frustrations, the COVID-19 pandemic is not over. To minimize our chances of contracting or spreading the virus, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging everyone to continue to follow the basic guidelines we’ve become accustomed to: wear a mask, stay at least six feet apart from other people, and wash your hands frequently.
2. Remember to Exercise.
Exercising can help you feel better during the holidays! I know that time might be tight, but even a 15 minute HIIT workout, like this one, can make a huge difference! You might also consider walking as much as possible (walk your dog, take extra laps at the mall when shopping, use the stairs whenever possible, etc.) or offering to help with the housework, like shoveling snow.
3. Stay Hydrated.
Believe it or not, staying hydrated during the holidays can help prevent weight gain, chapped lips, and headaches. Some ways to hold yourself accountable for drinking water are choosing peppermint tea over hot cocoa and drinking a glass of water for every glass of alcohol.
4. Be realistic about food choices.
“Holidays are about food, no matter how you celebrate them,” says Venus Kalami, a clinical pediatric dietitian at Stanford Children’s Health. Still, there are definitely ways to strike a balance between healthy meals and snacks and enjoying indulgence. In other words, you can, and should, enjoy yourselves. Mindful eating here is vital!
5. Watch your portion sizes.
This advice comes straight from Brad Callow, Founder, and CEO of 6AM Health, himself! Eat what you want, but, again, be mindful of the quantity. When it comes to controlling portion sizes, some advice includes using smaller dinnerware or using your hands as a serving guide. For example, a palm-sized serving of high-protein foods is recommended for women and two palm-sized portions for men.
6. Make your own decisions.
When it comes to our health, it can be really easy to let someone else make the decisions for us. But it’s really up to us! If you want to eat the gingerbread cookies, eat them! If you don’t want to eat the cookies, it’s ok to say no.
It’s also important to recognize that our nutritional needs are personal and based on age, gender, height, weight, and physical activity level. If you are interested, check out the MyPlate Plan, which provides your calorie level and shows how much you should eat from each of the five food groups.
7. Manage Holiday Stress.
As many people are working from home this winter, mental health is becoming a bigger focus now more than ever. As enjoyable and fun as the holidays can be, there is also a level of added stress. We recognize that this is something everyone is experiencing differently, mainly due to the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some ways to combat this stress might include taking a moment to stop and be thankful and making time for the little things you enjoy, whether going for a walk or taking a nap.
8. Keep Good Company.
If 2020 has taught us anything, the most important parts of our lives are often the people in them. Surround yourself, whether virtually or safely in your home, with the people you love and care about. Are you seeing most of your friends and family over Zoom this year? Take a look at these games that’ll liven up your Zoom Holiday Party!
9. Be Kind to Others.
The very thing that makes the holidays so meaningful and special for many of us can be exactly what brings up painful memories and disappointments for others. Especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, there may be more and more individuals moving through a difficult time like illness, financial hardship, job loss, or other stressful experiences.
Check out VolunteerMatch for virtual and local volunteer opportunities to aid communities impacted by COVID-19.
10. Forgive Yourself.
At the end of the day, there is no sense of “perfect” for the holidays, or really any time of the year, for that matter.
Be you, enjoy the festivities, and practice moderation, but at the end of the day, we all have a whole lot to be thankful for this holiday season. We want to thank all of our customers for a great year of helping us help you to be healthy. Here’s to an even better new year!
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