Let’s admit it, the Holidays can be a difficult time for health goals – even for myself, a dietitian, because at the end of the day, I am still human. Yes – even though I know how to navigate these situations- it still doesn’t make mom’s homemade cookies any less bit delicious. That’s why during the Holiday months, I try to keep to a regular routine with my workouts and eating all of the other days of the month so that it allows me some flexibility on the actual Holidays themselves. I want to share with you my Holiday Survival Guide to get you through this season!
PORTION CONTROL AND SNACKS
Consistent portions at meals allow me to try everything without overindulging and to avoid feeling uncomfortably full. I also try to decrease or eliminate my urge to eat out. Take out food is already packed with lots of refined salt and high fatty oils (think refined vegetable oils). Cooking at home ensures I am able to maintain a healthy balanced diet that includes all of the foods I am looking to optimize in my diet.
If I am heading out for a long car ride to a relatives, I like to bring staple foods with me on the road trip there. A cooler in the back seat will have some previously cooked proteins, raw vegetables, bags of greens, fruit and raw nuts. I might not need these foods but I like to have them just in case. In the event the family makes a meal that isn’t healthy, I will eat these things for one or two meals and then enjoy a meal with the family for the other.
REMEMBER TO TAKE SUPPLEMENTS
The professional grade supplements I take are always based off clinical need from my regular labs. I also like to keep others on hand for an as-need basis. During the Holiday months, I am often under tight deadlines and also traveling more. Because of this, I like to target more immune and sleep support during these months. Even when traveling for the Holidays, I never forget to bring it all with me! Some of my favorites to take during the Holiday season are included to the left. (Need to purchase professional grade supplements for the Holiday season? Heres access to my dispensary)
RECOVER WITH SELF CARE
I can admit that during the Holiday months I too struggle with motivation. That’s where establishing routines that I can repeat each day comes in handy so that I don’t question when I will have time to make things happen. With routines, there is already a scheduled time for each thing I need to get done to stay healthy. This means not only what I eat but everything else in between.
These top 5 things are a must weekly :
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Deep, restful sleep (7-9 hours)
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8-10 cups of plant fibers daily (fruits, vegetables, lentils)
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4+ days of structured exercise
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Time for meal prep and grocery shopping on Sunday’s
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Epsom salt soaks
I like to implement intermittent fasting especially after heavy meal days with friends or family. If necessary, I’ll extend my overnight fast to 13 – 16 hours. Do you know how to practice Intermittent Fasting correctly? You can learn more in my Ultimate Guide to Intermittent Fasting!
STAY ACTIVE
Even when traveling, I always get in my workouts- even if I have to modify them. I often will bring kettlebells and resistance bands with me and find a park or hill that I can use for running. However, I can get workout planning burn out too – luckily I’ve prepared this in advanced. Join me in trying these!
Here’s what I try to accomplish each week during the Holidays:
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Walk for 20 – 45 min first thing in the morning
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Hill sprints (10 reps x 60 meters or 2 x 8 reps x 3 min walk down hill)
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Kettlebell workouts (3 rounds of 15x kettle swings, 15x goblet squats with heels elevated)
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Zone 2 Training – easy jog (read for more info)
HYDRATION AND HERBAL SUPPORT
You’ve heard it over and over and over – so here it is again – DRINK WATER! It’s so so important to stay hydrated to flush out all those unwanted toxins from the body.
Did you know your liver detoxifies various metabolites, synthesizes proteins and produces biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth? Well now you do – so check out my Liver Support practices that can also support you!
Take these daily:
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Milk thistle
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Reboot Juice
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Carrots
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Rosemary
Need some Inspiration to get in the kitchen?
Lauren Papanos, MS, RD, CSSD, is a nationally recognized Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, board-certified sports dietitian, published researcher, and founder of Functional Fueling Nutrition®, an award winning endocrinology nutrition practice specializing in thyroid health, metabolism, fertility, and hormones. For more than a decade, she has helped thousands of active women uncover the physiological drivers behind hypothyroidism, chronic inflammation, fatigue and infertility through advanced laboratory testing and evidence-based nutrition. Lauren is the creator of the Energy Leaks framework, host of the Functional Fueling® Podcast, and author of The Thyroid Breakthrough, a guide that helps women understand why they can still struggle with thyroid symptoms despite eating well, exercising consistently, and having “normal” lab results.
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