How to stay healthy during the festive season

Festive season is under way, and ‘tis the season to be jolly… or break your diet. Without a doubt, this is probably the hardest time of the year to avoid temptations and stick to those healthy foods.

The holiday season and its mix of traditions and cheer make for a very convincing argument to fall back into bad habits. You might justify it with a once-in-a-while mindset, and that’s definitely viable – if you actually mean it.

Chances are, once you break your diet, you’ll just continue to put it off to the day after, and the day after that. It might be better for you to consider how you can avoid falling into this trap, by opting for healthier alternatives and continuing to watch what you eat.

This doesn’t mean you should be obsessing over your calorie intake, but it’s definitely a good idea to watch what you eat. Many people who don’t really want to pay too much attention to their shopping list have opted for services which home deliver ingredients for healthy and fast HelloFresh meals.

Brainstorm healthier holiday food alternatives
It’s completely understandable for you to want to continue doing the same holiday traditions you’ve been practising ever since you were a child.

Staying healthy doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice all of the dishes that normally sit on your table, but it might be a good idea to think about how you can make some healthier or introduce a few more nutritious dishes.

You might want to try some healthier recipes for Christmas baking. Making a gingerbread house or Christmas cookies are classic traditions that can become healthier if you adjust the recipes. Think about what you can change and what you absolutely want to stay the same.

Skip the constant snacking
The festive season brings with it constant joy, constant excitement, and constant snacking. Chances are that everywhere you go, there are sweets on offer. From candy canes and Christmas cookies to chocolates it’s a sweet gesture that doesn’t fail to provide cheer – however, excessive consumption can definitely throw off your diet.

An easy fix is to watch what you accept. Don’t be afraid to simply refuse politely or to pass it onto someone else. As long as you keep in mind what you are eating all day, and don’t fall into the trap of simply accepting and eating every treat you get, you should be good.

It can be hard to maintain this mindset amongst all the Christmas cheer, but try to limit yourself. And to prevent yourself from being tempted, don’t leave snacks around the house!



Keep up the exercise
Another way to keep healthier during the festive season is to continue your typical exercise routine – or maybe even increase your activity. Try to up it to make up for all that extra food you’re having. Not only does this have benefits for physical health, exercise can also provide benefits for mental health.

Exercising during the festive season can definitely help you to maintain a good physique and help your bodily system continue to thrive. It’s a great way to make sure your calorie intake counts for something and keep your body moving during this season of treating yourself.

As long as you keep up your exercise, one or two days of eating unhealthily won’t matter too much. Regular exercise is a great way to keep fit and healthy through the festive season.

Watch your portions
Portioning properly is a key way of maintaining a healthy diet. As long as you watch the amount of food you are served, you can probably get away with eating all those festive foods you love so dearly.

We tend to serve ourselves more than we need – and this obviously isn’t a good thing when the food is unhealthy to begin with! Learning how to limit your portions and having a small amount of all the multiple dishes on the table can save you from overeating and reaching that food coma stage.

The festive season can be extremely hard for those of us attempting to keep up our diets. Make sure not to be too hard on yourself and allow yourself a bit of indulgence, while knowing where the limit is.