Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

We’re in a transitional time of entering new seasons: fall, back to school season, and one more that doesn’t usually get its own spotlight: Silly Season. Silly Season is full of bad Halloween candy on every grocery store shelf and endless holiday parties. From now until January, it seems like every week holds some kind of get together and opportunity to eat off plan and treat ourselves poorly. 

There’s a lot going on this time of year, to say the least, and you’ve probably heard me say (many times) that if you want to wake up feeling great on January 1st, now is the time to create a plan and stick with it. But you still want to enjoy the holiday season when it comes, so this isn’t the time for making big changes. For the next few months, let’s focus on sticking with the basics so we can enjoy the celebrations all around us without drifting too far off course or feeling any guilt. 

Today, I’m sharing my tips for getting back to the basics of health during the holiday season. 

1. Prioritize PFC meals. 

Every holiday has some traditional food that goes along with it, and you know I’m definitely looking forward to all those yummy recipes! However, that doesn’t mean that I’m going to go totally off track from now until January. For the next few months, I’ll be prioritizing reasonably portioned meals that have a healthy blend of proteins, fats, and carbs so that when I really do want to go off track for some <insert your favorite holiday treat here>, I won’t feel yucky after indulging. 

If you know there’s some yummy food in your future that maybe isn’t the healthiest option, don’t feel like you have to cross it off your holiday list! Just plan to enjoy it when you really want it, and prioritize enjoying healthy, PFC balanced meals the rest of the time. 

2. Keep a shake ready to go. 

If I accidentally go too far between meals and really need a snack fast, I grab a pre-made shake that I keep in my fridge for times like these. Whenever we get really hungry and feel our blood sugar dropping, the Halloween candy might start looking really tempting. That’s why having a quick, healthy meal ready to go is the perfect solution. You don’t always have to sink your energy into cooking a healthy meal in order to kick your cravings. 

3. Keep a water bottle on hand. 

There are lots of great drink options this time of year, from pumpkin spice lattes to champagne toasts. I’ll definitely be enjoying some of those this season, but my go to is always my water bottle. I keep it filled up and ready to go with my favorite electrolytes, so even when I’m out and about, I can stay hydrated. Then, when I’m ready for a cocktail or warm holiday drink, I can enjoy it without feeling like it’s leaving me dehydrated. 

4. Focus on the 3 “S” words: sleep, stress, and supplements. 

You already know that keeping your stress low will benefit your health, but how well are you prioritizing your sleep, and are you taking the necessary supplements? Sleep is essential to our health, and the supplements we take help our bodies get in all the nutrients we need. 

If you skip your supplements, don’t prioritize sleep, and let stress take over your life, you’ll feel the effects sooner rather than later. If you want to get back to the basics, it’s so important that you keep the 3 “s” words in mind. 

If you’re ready to learn more about prioritizing healthy sleep, join me next month for a myth-busting event with Adult Sleep and Wellbeing Coach Kali Patrick! You can save your spot right here:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/busting-myths-about-sleep-and-nutrition-tickets-414770899927

The holiday season can be overwhelming, so as we prepare to enter it, it’s more essential than ever that you prepare your body by prioritizing the basics of health. Let’s remember how we want to feel on January 1st and make the decisions that get us there! 

If you have any questions or thoughts on creating a healthy “basics” routine for the holiday season, let me know in the comments! 

And if you need some inspiration for healthy living, please join me in my Facebook group Never Diet Again for a great community filled with great discussion!