The holidays can be brutal on your health. Especially when the parties get into full swing! Not only are you most likely to consume food you normally wouldn’t but the anticipation of these social gatherings can cause extra stress and anxiety. Top that off with cutting into your precious 8 hours of sleep and you have a recipe for not feeling so darn great.
To help you get through holiday party season and arrive into the New Year feeling amazing, we have compiled our favorite holiday hacks under the Genesis Pillars of Health.
DIGEST
We know you’ve heard the ol’ “eat before you go to the party so you don’t stuff your face with party hors d’oeuvre” advice before, but really…. you should. Though you may feel a bit ridiculous eating a meal before you go to an event centered around food consumption, if you arrive with a partially full stomach you will only end up trying bites of treats you really can’t resist (because who wants to miss out on Grandma’s famous fudge) instead of also eating mindless party snacks you’ve had 1000 times. That way you’re not missing out on the good stuff you only have once a year!
We also can’t stress enough to drink water, water, and more water. Holiday food is usually full of salt and fat which can lead to waking up looking puffy and feeling sluggish. Drink as much water as you can to help flush out the bloat. If you are drinking alcohol try and have two glasses of water per cocktail, this will help limit your chance of a hangover. If you really feel like you’ve had one too many, try drinking an electrolyte-filled drink such as Pedialyte light before you go to sleep and in the morning.
REST
A big part of why we all feel like crap during the holidays is from lack of sleep! Do not underestimate the power of a 20 min. nap! If you know you are going out that night, try and fit in a nap after work or plan to get extra sleep the night before. And while being the life of the party is great, that doesn’t mean you need to be the last person to leave! Keep in mind how you will appreciate getting home at a reasonable hour with enough time to unwind from all the excitement.
MOVE
Staying active and consistent with your workouts is MAJOR this time of year. If you are keeping up with your fitness, you will be less tempted to eat unhealthy, instead of just feeling like you’re throwing it all to the wind. Exercise also helps with your energy levels and will actually help you get through these more stressful times by providing feel-good endorphins.
Feeling like it is tough to fit working out in? Take an extra couple trips around the mall when holiday shopping! Pull up a YouTube workout video if you are stuck inside with sucky weather! Don’t make excuses, if there is a will there is always a way to feel your best.
BALANCE
Keeping your life in balance and stress under control is one of the HARDEST parts about the holidays. Planning ahead and keeping a daily lifestyle schedule really helps cut down on this stress. Put workouts and extra naps into your calendar! Don’t procrastinate on gift shopping by scheduling out time to do so and sticking to it. The more you are on top of all the extra tasks this time of year the less you will feel overwhelmed by them.
Meditation is another balance technique that we couldn’t live without during the holiday season. If your mind is racing with anxious thoughts about relatives, work, or money, take time to find a quiet place in your home to take some deep breaths and settle your mind. Doing this once a day really works wonders on handling all that needs to be done.
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We hope you enjoyed our tips on surviving the most wonderful time of the year! We would love to hear your feedback below on how these life hacks worked for you or if you have tips of your own!
