All around the U.S. people are kicking off the holiday season by celebrating Thanksgiving; which means facing some of your biggest food and beverage temptations and stressful travel situations followed by post celebration bloating, weight gain, fatigue, and sometimes just feeling down right sick or crappy.
And even if you’re not in the U.S. celebrating along with us, the holiday season is still happening in your part of the world too. So social gatherings, travel, temptations and celebrations are abundant, and they can leave you feeling less like yourself going into the new year.
But I’ve got you covered!
Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving or some other holiday this season, I have 4 survival tips to help you…
● Avoid overeating and bloating while actually improving digestion!
● Maintain your weight and possibly even lose some! (wouldn’t that be nice?)
● Have a ton of energy and to protect yourself from catching a cold!
The best part about these tips is that you can do them anywhere and they don’t require much time, effort or money!
Before I dive into the 4 tips though, I want to emphasize that your health success this holiday season will require your presence.
The key to having your ideal health and weight is honoring your body’s needs.
And to know what it needs, you need to be present in order to be tuned in to your body. You might be wondering, “what does that mean or how do I do that?”
It’s actually fairly simple, all you have to do is slow down a bit, and tune into what your body is asking you for. And some of these tips are designed to help you do exactly that.
Ok, let’s get into these 4 Turkey Day Survival Tips so you can start putting them into action…
1 - Front load your water intake.
Feeling hungry and needing to snack throughout the day can actually be a sign of dehydration. Eating carb rich foods, drinking alcohol and traveling during the holidays can majorly mess with your hydration levels so aim to front load your day with massive amounts of water and a pinch of sea salt for electrolytes to stay hydrated. Staying hydrated will help you cut cravings, avoid overeating and fluctuations on the scale.
2 - Get into rest and digest mode.
In order for you body to properly digest food, it needs to be in the “rest and digest mode”, and not in the typical fight or flight (aka stressed) state that you might tend to be in during the holidays from rushing around trying to get things done or dealing with less than ideal family situations. But don’t fret, you can instantly put your body into rest and digest mode to banish or prevent bloating using deep breathing techniques and by thoroughly chewing your food. Do the 5-5-7 breath (inhale 5 seconds, hold 5 seconds and exhaling 7 seconds) 5-10 times before each meal, and chew each bite 20 times to allow your body to properly digest food. This will also help you recognize when you are full so you don’t overeat.
3 - Drink more tea.
High quality organic green, herbal and even black teas are packed with a variety of nutrients to reduce inflammation, balance hormones and keep your gut healthy. Peppermint and ginger teas are perfect post meal to promote digestion, reduce bloating and ease stomach upset. Green tea varietals are a great coffee alternative, and cinnamon containing teas make for a great sweet treat, and both help to curb cravings by balancing your blood sugar! Pique Tea is my favorite tea brand because of its quality and easy to mix in cold or hot water powders (great for traveling!). use code EKAT for 5% off
4 - Walk, don’t run.
During the holidays, you probably think you need to exercise more to “work off” what you ate and drank. BUT when your body is already depleted from eating inflammatory foods, traveling and staying up late, intense exercise will deplete you even more - making your workout more harmful than good resulting in weight gain, fatigue and feeling run down. It’s still important to move your body during these times, so opt for more restorative exercise such as walking, yoga and pilates.
Aside from being present to implement these 4 survival tips, don’t forget to also be present with your family and friends so you can truly enjoy the holidays.
Joy, laughter and happiness all promote better hormone balance and digestion, which are necessary elements for more energy and weight loss.
Happy holidays to you and your loved ones :)
Disclaimer: This post is intended for inspirational and informational purposes only, is not a substitute for medical advice, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. Consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your routine.