Fit Foodie Melissa: Meliss's Happy & HEALTHY Holiday Tips

10 tips for Having a Happy and HEALTHY Holiday season.

Are you wondering how you are going to survive the holidays this season? The holidays usually leave us all so stressed out. All the food, the drinks, the sweets, the treats, it's ALL over. So, how do we avoid completely falling off track over the holidays? I think everything is good in moderation. For me, it's usually the hardest to stay on track the day after a night of a few drinks and indulgences. I usually start out the actual day of the event eating fairly well... Then I have some drinks and the next day I am worthless. I don't feel like cooking or doing anything and then I am tempted to order pizza or hit up the drive through. My health goes out the window and it all becomes about convenience. So here's a few tips I've come up with on how I plan to survive the holiday season.

1. The number one tip I can have for you is to make a healthy meal ahead of time to eat the day after your holiday festivities. That way you can get right back on track after a night of some indulgences. I know I hate wasting food, so if I have something already made, I will eat that.

2. Eat something BEFORE going to your events so you don't show up starving and will have an easier time not over eating.

3. EXERCISE right away in the morning before going to any event. Get it out of the way, and then you can relax and enjoy the day without the dread of having to workout. And Not only will exercise help you stay on track it will help relieve the HOLIDAY stress. Get those endorphins PUMPIN!!

4. Bring a healthy dish with you. If you can't control what other people are bringing or serving, at least you can control what you bring. Make it be something healthy!

5. Eat Slowly! Take time in between bites and set your fork down to soak up the conversation and enjoy your company.

6. DON'T skip meals. This is one of the worst things you can do.

7. Watch what you drink. Limit your intake of alcoholic beverages, and if you are going to drink go for a lighter drink option. Try not to mix with pop. Mix with water and always add ice to water it down and dilute it.

8. ENJOY the holidays. Don't let the chaos take over. The holidays are about family and enjoying them. We often forget that and stress over making everything perfect. Relax. Mediate. Pray. Be thankful. Find a few podcasts to listen to while cooking or cleaning that will lift your spirits and get your mind right. Take a bath. Read a book. Just take some time for yourself. EVERY single day during the holiday season especially. You deserve it. And your family deserves you at your best, and unstressed.

9. Get your rest! Did you know people who don't get enough sleep have a hard time losing weight and tend to be heavier according to statistics. Sleep deprivation causes your body to release hormones that will make you want to eat more. So get your ZZZZ's.

10. Don't compare yourself to all you see on social media. This time of year can become a bit of a competition. People all trying to outdo each other with their amazing elf on the shelf ideas they do every night... Um.. I am lucky if I remember to move our elf twice a week. MOM fail. I will be brutally honest with you. Just because Susie has a photo up every morning of her elf on the shelf doing miraculous things.. don't worry.. MOST of us normal mom's haven't even thought of it until the morning when our child says " I wonder where the elf went today..." and you frantically go running for the elf in an attempt to move it before you child notices.. GUILTY!! That's ME to a T! haha And.. you see all those perfect holiday photos? Don't worry.. it probably took that family 75 tries to get that perfect photo. Most probably looked just like the rest of ours with one kid screaming, the mom blinking and dad looking off into outer space. Don't try to keep up, do what's right for you and your family!

How to START FRESH if you over indulged?!

Okay, so let's say you maybe didn't follow any of the tips above and now you find yourself feeling the post holiday slug and laziness. Want help rebooting? Let me help you. I will be running an after the holidays 3 day REFRESH Cleanse. Yes, you can still eat during the cleanse. You just reboot your system with superfood shakes, fruits, veggies, and healthy fats. It's a great way to get your energy back and a GREAT way to get rid of the bloat and slug from over indulging. I have had amazing results with the 3 day refresh. Afterwards feeling FULL of energy and so light! I lost 7 lbs my first time doing the cleanse. I highly suggest this for after the holidays. And, beginning December I have a BUILD a BOOTY health and fitness group that is completely private starting up. The goal is to loose some pounds and tone our booty and abs. You in? Email me if you want a spot at: melissanielsen99@gmail.com.

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