How do you get through the holidays healthy?
The holidays are preceded by a busy December month. This leads to all kinds of obligations at work, with the children at school and with the family. And at work, there are also all sorts of things to be completed before the end of the year. Many people go into the holidays stressed as a result.
Stress causes the body to produce the stress hormone cortisol. Studies have shown that the body needs high-carbohydrate and high-fat foods in stressful situations. This could be one of the reasons why we have an extra craving for unhealthy food especially during the holidays. And then in January, we all head back to the gym en masse to make up for the sins of December. With some clever tricks, you can spend holidays healthy without sacrificing enjoyment.
Five tips for healthy holidays
1. Go on a fast before Christmas and New Year’s Eve
Your body can do just fine for one or two days without food. This is actually very healthy. That’s because our bodies are set up for it. This goes back to the time when as “hunter-gatherers” we had to obtain our food. Back then it was dire necessity to survive a period without food. Food is building material and energy. You can miss that building material for a while, but energy is always needed. When we take in less energy, our cells start “eating” themselves. They do that very selectively. They do not eat the healthy parts of the cell, but only use the damaged parts for fuel. When you start fasting, those cells clean up on their own, so to speak. This process is called autophagy, a cleaning action that causes you to become healthier. So if you take it easy on the days before and between the holidays, the average amount of calories over the entire week is actually not too bad. And immediately put your body into “cleaning mode.
2. Eat a salad beforehand
When you eat a salad as an appetizer, you kill two birds with one stone: you eat less unhealthy food and you get more fluids, vitamins and minerals. Many people end up with only a few lettuce leaves or skip this altogether. If you start with the healthy, then you can sin afterwards. It is best to stop when you are 80% full. It takes 20 minutes for our satiety hormones to signal that we have had enough. When you start with a salad, the satiety hormone “leptin” will give you a natural halt just when you want to snack on high-calorie foods.
3. Choose healthy dishes
Fish and poultry are healthier options than red meat. Choose organic or wild whenever possible. Put many different kinds of vegetables on the menu and, for example, make baked apple slices with coconut fat with cinnamon and peca or walnuts. Instead of potatoes, you can take sweet potato. Very tasty and healthy!
A lot of alcohol is often consumed during the holidays. Drinking alcohol is a drain on your health and fitness, and it is a huge fattener. Moreover, it often makes you drowsy and tired, making you feel less fresh and energetic. There are many delicious healthy drinks that you can drink as an alternative. For example, make delicious water with lime, mint and cucumber. Or make a nice non-alcoholic cocktail with fresh fruit. If you do like to drink drinks with alcohol, choose organic wine, for example. And drink a glass of water after each glass of wine. Alcohol distributes itself to total fluids in your body, diluting the alcohol content.
Stress is a major contributor to many diseases. The number of people falling ill due to burnout has skyrocketed in recent years. There are also many physical complaints that stem from too much stress. As mentioned, December is a very stressful time for many people. Therefore, it is important to schedule time before and during the holidays to relax. Sleep in, take a bath and don’t plan too many obligatory visits in a row. And take time to exercise or take a long walk in nature.
We wish you very happy, healthy and relaxing holidays!
Team BodySwitch
