9 ways to stay energized through the Holidays

 

Right off I want to start by telling you all how important you all are to me.

This time of year I cannot help but think about all of the blessings in my life. I count all of you on that list and want to thank you for your incredible support through this little blog of mine. Your comments and emails truly mean so much to me and I love to connect with each and every one of you.

So Thank YOU!

From my family to yours!

yes, this is last years picture…

9 ways to stay energized through the Holidays

1. Don’t eat a lot. Obvious right?  When we scarf down two or three servings of Grandmas Christmas dinner, blood leaves the rest of the body to help break down the food in the digestive system, leaving us feeling tired and sluggish. Avoid the holiday food coma by sticking to a normal-sized plate at holiday dinners.

2. Limit sugar intake. Don’t try to avoid sugar at any means, it is the holidays after all! But eating lots of sugar at once will give you a quick boost of energy followed by an immediate crash, so have a serving, just not 3 or 4. If you combine sugar with foods high in fiber, fat and protein it will help make sure that the sugar isn’t released into the blood stream all at once!

3.  Switch up your carbs. While the simple carbohydrates found in refined foods, baked goodies and that costco pie- they lead to those energy spikes and dips, Complex Carbohydrates can be a source of longer lasting energy. Reach for starchy vegetables, brown rice, and oatmeal.

My post-workout meal this morning was beautiful and took forever to put together…

4. Sleep it off. This is another obvious, but with all the stress that seems to follow us into the holidays, sleeping is MAJOR. Plan out a sleep schedule and stick to it the best you can.

5. Have “me time”. Sometime during the day try to get at least 5 minutes to yourself. Read a book, Pet a dog, take a nap, browse pinterest, workout and read my blog… I find that a little “me time” helps with my sanity.. thank goodness for nap time

6. SWEAT. During the holiday season, Our workouts are the first thing to slip, next to sleep. Getting your workout in is one of the best ways to help relive stress!! And give us a little boost of energy too!

7. 5 minute dance party.  Music is one way to give you happy thoughts. If my kids are ever super cranky and irritable, I will turn on some dance music and have a quick dance party. It turns frowns upside down and I feel a lot better afterwards too!

8. Help out. This holiday season try to do an act of service everyday. Take a cart from someone who just got done shopping, bring a meal to somebody, help out at a homeless shelter. Doing some sort of volunteer work will release those endorphins that keep depression and tiredness away.

9. Learn to say no. The only thing more tempting than a tray of Christmas cookies is saying “yes” to all the parties that offer them. Enjoy the holidays, you don’t have to try everything everyone made and every single one of the holiday parties. Its okay to say “No, thank you” sometimes. Avoid crashing by being realistic and declining some sips and treats.

Hope some of these tips will help you through the parties this weekend!

Have a great Saturday!