What’s my favorite part of the holidays? Seeing friends and family of course! But what’s my second favorite part? The food. I find myself daydreaming about thanksgiving dinner, dessert, and all of the leftovers! It’s all fun and pies until you realize you suddenly don’t fit into your jeans anymore. Come on, how does 1 day of feasting, ok maybe 2 or 3 make that much of a difference? The problem is most of us eat more food on breaks and we aren’t getting the typical exercise that our bodies are used to. Even walking around campus to and from classes burns a lot of calories. Also, we’re getting delicious home-cooked meals in place of dining hall food/something we made ourselves for free. Plus everything just tastes so much better during the holidays. So how can you ensure you stay healthy during the holidays? Check out these tips to make sure you come back to campus feeling great.
Be mindful of what and when you eat. Are you really hungry, or just bored?
There will be so many temptations, self-control and portion control are the keys to success.
Choose healthier alternatives. This sounds especially difficult as it is the holidays, but there’s plenty of healthier options. Need some ideas? Check out these 12 healthy holiday recipes from an article from Fitness Magazine.
Watch out for drinking your calories. Hot chocolate and other fun holiday drinks are delicious, but pack a lot of calories and sugar in a small cup.
Thanksgiving is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t over-stuff yourself, grab small portions of your favorite foods, eat, then take a 20 minute break before deciding if you’re still hungry for more.
Watch out for your old bad habits, when we go on break we can accidentally slip into routines that we left at home. For example eating an entire bag of chips in front of the TV.
Find a way to stay active over the holidays. You probably won’t be doing your typical campus routes at home.
Just move, exercising doesn’t have to be a boring run on the treadmill that you dread. Even taking a long walk or playing outside with younger cousins can help you stay active.
Make time to exercise, it becomes all too easy to become a couch potato at home. Find time to take care of your body, it will help you feel more energized.
During holiday break we have 3 full weeks at home. Think about getting a gym membership (just for 1 month) if you can. This can be relatively inexpensive, $10-$20. Planet Fitness offers month to month memberships and you can cancel anytime without paying a huge fee. Once you sign up, try to make a schedule of what days and times you will go. Hint: exercising in the morning is recommended because the endorphins released in your body will help keep you energized for the rest of your day. If you’d rather skip the gym, you can easily work out at home. All you need is your own body, but if you want some props grab a yoga mat, free weights, or a resistance band to work with.
Make sure you do treat yourself a little, after all Thanksgiving only comes once a year!