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Categories Advice, Exercise, Health, Nutrition, Stress

7 Tips to Staying Healthy During the Holiday Season

Author Amber Hudler Posted on

7 Tips to Staying Healthy During the Holiday Season: Tips for a Joyful, Balanced Celebration

The holiday season is a time filled with joy, celebrations, and indulgences, often tempting us to put our health goals on hold. However, with a little planning and balance, you can enjoy all the festivities without sacrificing your well-being. Here are some practical tips for staying healthy, energized, and stress-free during this busy season.

1. Prioritize Balanced Nutrition

Between family dinners, parties, and holiday treats, it can be challenging to maintain a balanced diet. Here’s how to keep things in check:

• Don’t Skip Meals: Skipping meals to “save calories” can backfire, leading to overeating later. Stick to regular meals, focusing on protein, fiber, and healthy fats to keep you full and balanced.

• Practice the 80/20 Rule: Aim to make 80% of your choices nutritious, allowing room for indulgent treats in the remaining 20%. This mindset reduces feelings of restriction and encourages moderation.

• Mindful Portion Control: It’s easy to overeat with so many options available. Start by taking small portions, savor each bite, and pause before going for seconds.

2. Stay Active with Fun Holiday Activities

Physical activity is key to maintaining energy levels, managing weight, and improving mood, especially during the holiday season. Some ideas to stay active include:

• Family Walks or Winter Sports: Encourage family walks after meals or engage in seasonal activities like ice skating, hiking, or even holiday shopping (it’s a workout!).

• Short Home Workouts: Don’t have time for a full workout? Opt for quick 15-20 minute home workouts. Bodyweight exercises, like squats, lunges, and push-ups, can keep you active even in tight schedules.

• Set a Step Goal: Many people enjoy wearing fitness trackers to set daily step goals. Aim for 7,000-10,000 steps a day to keep moving throughout the season.

3. Stay Hydrated

With so many delicious drinks available, from hot chocolate to holiday cocktails, it’s easy to overlook the importance of staying hydrated with water. Here’s how to make sure you’re getting enough:

• Set Reminders: Use a water bottle with time markers or set reminders on your phone to keep your hydration on track.

• Limit Sugary and Alcoholic Drinks: While it’s okay to indulge occasionally, sugary and alcoholic beverages can lead to dehydration. Try to alternate these drinks with water.

• Warm Beverages: Warm water with lemon, herbal teas, or light broths can be comforting alternatives to sugary drinks while still keeping you hydrated.

4. Practice Mindful Eating

Mindful eating helps prevent overindulgence and can make the holiday meals more enjoyable. Here’s how:

• Savor Each Bite: Slow down and appreciate the flavors, textures, and aromas of your food. This can help you feel satisfied with smaller portions.

• Listen to Your Body: Holiday gatherings can lead to endless grazing. Pause occasionally and check in with yourself—are you truly hungry, or just eating out of habit?

• Limit Distractions: Try to sit down and enjoy your meals without distractions. Engaging in conversation instead of scrolling on your phone allows for a more meaningful experience.

5. Manage Holiday Stress

The holiday season can be stressful, with demands like gift shopping, family gatherings, and year-end tasks. Here are ways to manage stress levels effectively:

• Set Boundaries: It’s okay to say no to some invitations or activities if they feel overwhelming. Protecting your time and energy is essential to maintaining peace of mind.

• Practice Gratitude and Reflection: Take a few minutes each day to reflect on what you’re grateful for. This can shift your focus from holiday stress to the joys of the season.

• Incorporate Relaxation Techniques: Deep breathing exercises, yoga, or even a short meditation can help calm your mind. You can find holiday-themed guided meditations or playlists to set a peaceful tone.

6. Get Enough Sleep

With holiday events often going late into the evening, sleep can suffer. However, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is essential for immunity, mood, and energy levels.

• Set a Sleep Routine: Try to go to bed and wake up at consistent times, even on weekends, to support your natural sleep cycle.

• Wind Down Before Bed: Limit screen time and avoid heavy meals or caffeine late in the evening. Instead, opt for relaxing activities like reading or a warm bath to prepare for restful sleep.

• Power Naps: If you’re sleep-deprived, a 15-20 minute power nap can be refreshing without affecting nighttime sleep.

7. Take Time to Connect Meaningfully

The holiday season is ultimately about connection and celebration. Beyond the food and festivities, focus on nurturing relationships and making memories.

• Create Traditions: Try to include activities that bring joy and connection, like decorating cookies, singing holiday songs, or watching movies together.

• Give Back: Volunteering or giving to those in need can enhance the holiday spirit, offering a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

• Express Appreciation: Take a moment to let people know they’re appreciated. A heartfelt message or conversation can mean a lot.

In Summary:

Enjoying the holiday season healthily is about finding a balance between indulgence and self-care. With mindful choices, intentional activity, and stress-management techniques, you can navigate the season with energy and joy. After all, the goal is to celebrate without compromising your well-being, so you can start the new year feeling your best.

Categories Advice, Exercise, Health, Nutrition, Sleep, Stress

Self Care: Necessity, not luxury

Author Amber Hudler Posted on

I have been seeing a trend in my practice lately. Clients come into a program with the best of intentions – to focus on their health, heal their bodies, and put themselves first for a change, only to get sucked back into life’s harsh realities that zap their motivation and plan. They reschedule or cancel visits and put their wellness goals on the backburner. I see it over and over, and I understand because at times in my life I have done the same. My father died in September. The weeks preceding his death were anguishing. I didn’t go to the gym and at times I skipped meals. I didn’t sleep. It’s easy to de-prioritize yourself when you are juggling a hectic work schedule, kids, aging parents, or caring for a friend or loved one. The list goes on an on.

Life will always present us with these challenges. This I know for sure. But self-care can really save us in times like these. Fueling our bodies with nourishing food, moving our bodies with some form of physical activity, deep breathing for stress reduction, and of course getting some much needed rest.

Self-care is a necessity, not a luxury. It’s like the instructions the flight crew gives you on an airplane prior to take off – in the event of an emergency, put YOUR oxygen mask on before helping others with theirs. It is ok to prioritize your needs first. This is not an act of selfishness. This is an act of self-love and self-worth.  It is a demonstration of your love for those around you. Because when you give yourself these gifts, you become the best version of YOU.

So don’t feel bad about scheduling your nutrition visit, or going to the gym, or taking the extra time to cook some healthy meals for yourself, or simply taking a break. You are worth every bit of that time.

As a reminder, I do offer virtual counseling. Simply login from a tablet, smart phone, computer or other Wifi connected device. Virtual visits are an easy and convenient way to continue with your sessions without requiring the time to make a trip to the office. And if you are like most of my clients and getting pulled in multiple directions, time is everything.

To schedule a virtual nutrition session, click here.

Photo by Allie Smith on Unsplash

Categories Advice, Exercise, Food, Health, How To, Nutrition, Weight Loss

12 Ways To Eat Healthy While On Vacation

Author Amber Hudler Posted on

It’s summer! Are you planning a fun vacation or getaway? Nervous it will derail your eating plan? I often get asked by clients what they can do to stay on track with healthy eating while they are traveling. It can be a real challenge for some, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some key tips that I recommend:

  1. Plan your day. Begin with a healthy breakfast that includes plenty of protein to keep you fuller longer. Resist the temptation to begin your day with a sugary breakfast that will induce cravings later and make it harder to stay on track. Plan or pack your lunch and snacks and get some physical activity in – whether it be extra steps, a swim in the pool or ocean, hiking, running or biking. This will allow you to create a calorie deficit. By doing this you can relax and enjoy your evening. You are on vacation after all! This approach works because it’s a good balance of staying in control but also allows some amount of indulgence. 
  2. Set an exercise goal for the week and stick to it. Set a goal for walking, running, a travel workout, or whatever you enjoy. Aim for a set number of workouts per week. Track your workouts in an app or post on social media for accountability and positive reinforcement.
  3. Increase fruit and vegetable intake. Add vegetables to snacks, sandwiches, your morning eggs etc. Opt for fruit as a snack as well. They are lower in calories and really filling. Happy hour on the beach? Pack an assortment of plant based snacks to accompany the beverages. Click the link here for my blog post on healthy snacks when traveling.
  4. Drink (more) water. This is a must. Strive for a goal of half of your body weight (in ounces) or more, especially if you are in the sun most of the day and/or consuming alcohol. 
  5. Focus on protein intake. This can really help to keep you full, deter you from eating heavier carbs, and keep you on track. Aim to have protein at every meal and snack. You can even pack your favorite protein powder or bars to have throughout the week. 
  6. Will you have a kitchen at your vacation destination? If so, shop ahead and stock it with your favorite items. This is one thing I do often when traveling locally. I pack enough for breakfast, lunch and snacks. It definitely saves money and helps me feel more in control. If this isn’t a possibility, shop on the first day that you arrive at your destination. If cooking in, prepare some fun and healthy recipes. Use your favorite websites, blogs, or  grocery store magazines for ideas. Many have really good summer editions right now with some fantastic looking recipes. 
  7. Use a food tracker. This is a personal decision and I’ve seen it done a variety of ways. Some people like to let go of their food journal when on vacation, others feel this is a slippery slope and will make things harder for them when they return. You know yourself best and what works for you. You can also do a partial food journal where maybe you track your water, your workouts and the majority of your day up until dinner. Then, for dinner and beyond you can relax a bit and let it go. It’s completely up to you, but if you feel you would still like accountability while away, a tracker can work. 
  8. Set (gentle) boundaries. This looks different for everyone. It might be setting a limit of eating out 1x per day or getting ice cream 2x per week or choosing alcohol vs. a dessert. Decide what it could look like for you and stick to it.
  9. When dining out, choose which items on the menu you will skip, sample, and enjoy. For example, maybe you will skip the bread basket and dessert, sample the appetizer, and enjoy the entrée
  10. Be mindful of alcohol intake. The average serving of beer or wine is about 150 calories. Mixed drinks and flavored cocktails can be even higher. If you have factored this into your day, great. If not, be aware that this can add on a lot of unwanted calories and sugar, and it for some it can be a trigger for eating larger portions of foods that they would normally avoid.
  11. Adopt a “Maintain Don’t Gain” philosophy. Set a goal of maintaining your weight but don’t stress about trying to lose while you are away. 
    Walk, walk, walk, and walk some more. Being on vacation is a great way of getting plenty of walking in. Whenever possible opt to walk instead of drive. Track your steps daily and see how much you can get in by the end of the trip. 
  12. Walk, walk, walk, and walk some more. Being on vacation is a great way of getting plenty of walking in. Whenever possible opt to walk instead of drive. Track your steps daily and see how much you can get in by the end of the trip. 

For more tips like these or to meet with me personally, contact me here

Categories Advice, Exercise, Fitness, Food, gym, Health, How To, Nutrition, Sleep, Weight Loss

How To Get Back On Track With Healthy Eating

Author Amber Hudler Posted on

I had a great Easter holiday. We spent a couple of days at the Jersey shore, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I indulged in some of my favorite treats. Pizza on the boardwalk, salt water taffy, fudge. Yes, that’s right, I’m guilty. But I loved every minute of the time I was able to spend with my family, away from the day to day stress of life in general. If felt really good to relax and just enjoy myself.

But now it’s back to reality.  Those few days of letting go and giving in to temptation were fun, but it’s time to get back to eating healthy again.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation after a vacation or a holiday? If so, recognize that for the most part this is normal. And while for some, it can affect morale and leave you feeling unmotivated to get back to your routine, it is possible with a few easy tips.

Hold yourself accountable – Accountability is one of the best ways to get motivated and stay on track with your goals. One of the easiest ways is to track your food intake. Whether it be through an app or a traditional food log, food tracking works. It can be a real eye opener in terms of calories, fat, and sugar consumed. If food tracking just isn’t your thing, you can still find other ways to be held accountable. Write down your goals, tell a friend, share your progress on social media, or work with a dietitian. Once the accountability is there, you will be much more inclined to stick to a plan.  

Exercise – Get back to your favorite activities. Whether it be the gym, yoga class, walking, golfing, tennis or gardening just make the time to move your body. Commit to 3x per week minimum. Exercise releases endorphins and endorphins make you happy. Exercise will also help you to have more energy, lose weight, and feel great.

Drink more water – One of the simplest things you can do to get back to a healthy routine is to drink more water. Drinking water will help control your appetite and reduce calories if you are using it to replace sugary beverages. Aim to consume half of your body weight in ounces per day. Use a reusable water bottle, have a glass or two in the morning before your first cup of coffee, keep a water bottle  in your car, drink water before your main meals, or plan it into your schedule (Example: Drinking a set amount at the gym) and stick to it.

Double up on the vegetables– Veggies are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and they are low in calories. They are truly your best defense in terms of maintaining a healthy weight. Plus they are delicious! Start out by filling at least half of your plate with vegetables, which is equivalent to two servings. Include a serving or two as a snack and you will be well on your way to meeting the recommended goal of 5-7 servings per day.

Up your protein – I always recommend spreading your protein throughout the day by including protein at each meal – especially breakfast. Protein helps you to feel fuller longer and crave less. It also helps to build and maintain muscle. Strive for at least a quarter of your plate to include protein, which is about 3-4 oz or the size of the palm of your hand.

Get back to meal planning – Plan at least a weeks worth of meals. One simple tip is to prepare 3-4 meals but make double the portion so that the recipe yields leftovers. This will cut your meal planning for a week in half.

Go to bed earlier – Restful sleep promotes hormone balance, which will help you to crave less. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night. If this is something you struggle with, set a goal to go to bed 30 minutes earlier for one week. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel, and how much easier it is to stick to a healthy eating routine.

To sum things up, we all have those moments in life where we let go, relax, and indulge. I support this in moderation. We need to live life!! But if you find this derails your progress and your motivation know that you are not alone. Let go of the guilt and tell yourself it’s time to get back on track and continue forward with your goals.

For more tips and support, contact me here.

Photo by Peter Bravo de los Rios on Unsplash

Categories Nutrition, Advice, Exercise, Food, Health, Weight Loss

Healthy Eating for the Holidays (Part 2) 7 Strategies to Help You Stay On Track

Author Amber Hudler Posted on

How is it December already? It seems like just yesterday I was enjoying my summer vacation! In any case, it’s here. Are you ready? Do you have a plan? If you’re like most people, you’re feeling overwhelmed.

While this is a joyous time of year, it can also be really stressful. You’re not alone if you find that you’re putting self-prioritization on the back burner and falling off track with healthy eating and exercise.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. A while back I wrote a blog post about how to avoid extra weight gain during the holiday season. In today’s blog, I offer some additional strategies to maintain your health goals and still enjoy a festive holiday season.

Here are 7 additional strategies that I recommend:

  1. Use a food tracker for accountability. This can be really helpful throughout the month as you attend holiday parties that are bound to include those tempting high calorie and high carb apps, desserts, and beverages. I recommend that you track your intake during the days leading up to a party or event, and definitely track the day after. On the day of the party, relax and enjoy. But be sure to get back on track the next day with plenty of lean protein, non-starchy vegetables, complex carbs and healthy fats. Your food tracker will hold you accountable and ensure you’re meeting your needs. I love the app Nutritionix Track and my clients do too.
  2. Set an exercise goal and stick to it. Decide how many times you will exercise or work out in December. Have a friend, personal trainer, or fellow gym goer hold you accountable. Reward yourself with something small when you meet your goal (just don’t reward yourself with food or alcohol). I’m not saying you can exercise your way out of poor eating habits, but it will help you to burn some extra calories, lower stress, and feel great about yourself. Who wouldn’t want that?
  3. Hosting a party or event? Give your favorite recipes a makeover. Replace inflammatory vegetable oils with olive oil or avocado oil. Swap heavy carb and fat based casseroles with simpler options. For example, replace a green bean casserole with green beans sautéed in olive oil and topped with almond slivers; swap mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower or glazed sweet potatoes with a plain sweet potato topped with cinnamon. Check out my Pinterest page for more ideas.
  4. Adopt a “Maintain Don’t Gain” philosophy. Instead of focusing on losing weight during December, set a goal to maintain your weight. It will lower your stress level and allow you to indulge in moderation.
  5. Ditch the sugary high calorie alcoholic beverages. Many are laden with syrup based mixers that will spike your blood sugar and cause you to crave more sweets. Opt for choices that include sparkling seltzer. It will significantly decrease calories and additives, and it will help to keep you hydrated.
  6. Limit the leftovers, especially desserts. If you are offered leftovers, opt for protein and vegetables. Leave the desserts behind. There will be plenty of those at the party next weekend.
  7. Hitting the buffet? Before getting in line, scope out your options. Seek out the fruit, vegetables, and lean proteins and be sure to fill your plate with those first. Decide which carbs you will enjoy (starchy vegetables are best) and which ones you will forgo. Avoid heavy sauces and fried foods.

Let’s face it, even with the best of intentions life gets in the way. The holidays are no exception. Having a clear-cut plan as you approach this month of celebrations will help you stay on track. Remember that this time of year is about spending time with those you love, and reflection. Stay focused on what really matters, remain positive, and remind yourself that you CAN do this.

 

Interested in learning more about my nutrition counseling services? Contact me here.

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