Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

Do you try out whatever the current dieting trend is? I don’t, but I always read about them as part of my business. From skipping meals with intermittent fasting to the “75 Hard” challenge where you restrict yourself and over-exercise for 2 and a half months, there’s nearly always some extreme dieting challenge making the rounds. 

If these challenges are to be believed, getting healthy should be hard. You should be making huge changes and totally overhauling how you live your life. It’s so daunting and seems like an extremely unpleasant lifestyle, so you may be more likely to sit cozily in your current habits rather than signing up for multiple months of misery in the name of getting healthy. 

What if I told you that it didn’t have to be that way? What if getting healthy didn’t have to feel like you’re preparing to climb Mount Everest? Would you be more likely to make a change?

The truth is that the “big” changes that crash diets tell you to make aren’t sustainable for long-term health. But if you are intentional about making small, bite-sized adjustments, over time, they can turn into tremendous results. 

Here are three small changes you can make during the holiday season that will turn into something meaningful for your health. 

1. Don’t totally give up on PFC during the holiday season. 

You may have tons of holiday parties and dinners planned for this season–great, enjoy them! That doesn't mean, however, that you should totally give up on your goals for the next three weeks. Keep with your routine by drinking your water, getting in exercise, and continuing to eat healthy PFC meals and snacks until it’s time to celebrate. This will keep you from overdoing it at your holiday party, and you won’t reverse any progress you’ve made by enjoying your celebrations. 

An easy way to do this at your celebration is to start with your proteins and your fats because the carbs will come easily. That can be as simple as starting with a shrimp cocktail so that you’re getting in quick and easy protein. Then, when the yummy breads or holiday cookies hit the table, you can get in your carbs without hardly any effort on your part. 

2. Don’t stop moving just because it’s chilly.

Challenge yourself to go for a walk every day during the holiday season. On nice days, hit the park or stroll through the neighborhood, or you can get your steps in on cold days by going to the gym or even just heading to your local mall. Create a step goal that’s realistic for yourself. My personal goal is 8,000 steps, but you should adjust your goal to suit your lifestyle. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, just do something for you!

I promise that it makes a huge difference, and you’ll feel better at the end of the holiday season for making the effort. 

3. Celebrate by giving back.

There’s nothing that channels holiday spirit more than giving back. To celebrate the end of the year, I encourage you to recharge by finding a way to help others. Choose something intentional to do to give back, and you can get your family involved too! Maybe it’s every day, or maybe it’s once a week, but no matter how often you help, it can be incredibly recharging to feel like you’re contributing to someone else’s wellness. 

During the holiday season, it can be difficult to feel like you’re making progress. If you continue to take on small tasks, you’ll find that they add up in a big way over time. All progress is positive progress; just keep moving forward!

What’s your favorite way to celebrate the holidays? Let me know in the comments!

While you’re planning out 2023, I hope you’ll make room for our next Perfect Pairings event on March 3rd! You can grab your ticket right here - and PS, we do gift certificates too and they make great stocking stuffers! :)