Holiday Survival Guide: Thriving Through the Festive Season Without Sacrificing Your Health

The festive season is a time for celebration, indulgence, and connection. But let’s be honest—alongside the joy often comes disrupted routines, overeating, sleepless nights, and a hefty dose of stress. Right now, some of you are in the thick of end-of-year parties, school duties, endless visits and 'we must catch up before Christmas' conversations with people you may not have seen all year! It's certainly a bit of madness.

While it's a good time for connection and being with others, you can't forget about you! Honouring your health goals with all the festive fun may seem impossible, but with some mindful strategies, you can enjoy the season without derailing your nutrition, sleep, energy, gut health, or emotions.

Here’s your holiday survival guide to help you stay on track while making the most of the festive season.

1. Nutrition: Enjoying Indulgence Without Sacrifice

The holidays are synonymous with rich foods, sugary treats, and endless nibbles. While it’s natural to indulge a little, balance is the key to keeping your health in check. Now, I say balance, because we are NOT about punishment over here. We will not be saying "I had Christmas chocolates so I will go for a two hour run." No thank you. We are the 'add to' not 'take away' nutrition camp, and proud of it. Have your cake in addition to your usual food needs. Here's waht I mean...

Tips for Staying on Track:

• Start with Prioritising Protein and Veggies: Fill at least half your plate with vegetables and include a source of protein like lean turkey, chicken, or lentils. This will help balance your blood sugar and curb cravings for sweets. Start here, and what happens after is not such a big deal.

  
  

• Be Selective with Treats: Instead of sampling everything on the dessert table, pick your favourites and truly savour them. Quality over quantity. Be picky!

  
  

• Snack Smart: Keep healthy snacks like nuts, Greek yoghurt, or vegetable sticks on hand to avoid grazing on high-calorie party foods. Prep your fridge for the snacky moments.

  
  

• Hydrate: Alcohol and salty foods can leave you dehydrated. Alternate alcoholic beverages with water, and aim for at least 2 litres of water per day. Since our festive times are in Summer, I would even suggest adding some electrolyte powder to your water routine.

Pro tip: If you’re hosting, offer a mix of indulgent and healthful options, such as colourful salads, roasted vegetables, and fruit platters alongside festive classics. Not only good for you (and your guests), but it offers so many colourful options for display! Again, how great to be in Summer, since we have access to so many excellent fruits and salad vegetables this time of year. Lean in!

2. Sleep: Protecting Rest in a Season of Late Nights

Between late-night parties, family commitments, and general excitement, sleep often takes a backseat during the festive season. However, poor sleep can wreak havoc on your energy levels, mood, and even digestion. I always say prioritise sleep, but it's important around this time, more than ever - especially for the younger members of the family. Have a late night Christmas movie, but make sure to back that up with a few normal bedtimes.

Tips for Prioritising Sleep:

• Stick to a Routine: Aim to go to bed and wake up at consistent times, even if you’re up late occasionally. Keeping the wake-up time is so critical to good sleep. It feels bad on the day, but I promise it's the best way to reset into good sleep.

  
  

• Limit Caffeine and Alcohol: Both can interfere with sleep quality. There are a lot of good low or non-alcoholic options available now, and lots of people decided to remove alcohol from their lives. Be a good host, and offer options beyond wine and beer for your guests. If you are drinking, stop the drinks a few hours before bed, and increase your usual hydration.

  
  

• Create a Wind-Down Ritual: Incorporate calming activities like stretching, reading, or herbal tea (chamomile, lavender, lemonbalm or hops are excellent choices) to signal to your body that it’s time to rest.

  
  

• Nap Strategically: If you’re feeling sleep-deprived, a short 20-minute nap can recharge your energy without interfering with nighttime sleep. This is a game changer if you have some late nights planned. Can't nap? Me neither. Swap for 20-30 minutes of quite time: meditation app, sleep music, or just earplugs and sleep mask. A fully rested body is almost as good as an actual nap for recovery.

3. Energy: Staying Energised Without Overloading on Sugar or Caffeine

Festive demands can leave you running on empty, and the temptation to reach for sugary snacks or multiple cups of coffee is hard to resist. These quick fixes, however, often lead to energy crashes (and tantrums - for the young or the old!).

Tips for Maintaining Steady Energy:

• Eat Balanced Meals: Include complex carbohydrates (like sweet potato or whole grains), healthy fats (avocado, nuts, seeds), and protein to sustain energy. LOAD UP at breakfast and lunch, as this will do wonders for sustained energy later on.

  
  

• Don’t Skip Meals: Skipping meals can lead to energy dips and overeating later. Even on busy days, aim for small, balanced meals. Like a point above, keeping your snacks prepped can really help keep you fueled.

  
  

• Take Movement Breaks: Even a quick 10-minute walk can boost your circulation and energy levels. Work from home? Walk around the block/house, dance for 3 songs, or do a load of washing.

  
  

• Use Natural Energy Boosters: Herbal teas like peppermint or green tea, and adaptogens like rhodiola or ginseng, can help fight fatigue without the crash.

4. Gut Health: Keeping Your Digestion Happy

Holiday indulgences can leave your gut feeling bloated and sluggish. From heavy meals to alcohol and sugary treats, the gut often bears the brunt of festive excess. Clients often come back in January ready to 'detox', so I know this is often our time for 'tox', but don't let it get on top of you! There are a few ways to get ahead of the extra loads on our digestive systems.

Tips for Gut-Friendly Festivities:

• Eat Fermented Foods: Ok, so a probiotic won't necessarily save your life, but incorporating some natural probiotics into your day can certainly provide some support for a diet that's less your usual style. Daily options of yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, or kimchi can support gut health - at any time of the year.

  
  

• Chew Your Food Thoroughly: Eating too quickly can overwhelm your digestive system. Slow down and savour each bite - after all, there's a lot of delicious food around, enjoy it.

  
  

• Don’t Overeat, But If You Do, Move: Overloading your stomach can disrupt digestion. Start with smaller portions and listen to your hunger cues. Now, that often fails (it certainly does for me). So I suggest, if you have a meal where you've overdone it (hello, Christmas family lunch), wait for the possible nausea to pass, then go for a walk. Fun fact - you don't need to take everyone along with you. In fact, a 30 minute stroll on your own (or with your only favourite cousin) might be just what you need!

  
  

• Try Digestive Herbs: Herbal teas like peppermint, ginger, or fennel can help soothe bloating or discomfort after meals. Seriously, make sure you have some in your bag - it's a game-changer.

5. Stress Management: Protecting Your Peace During the Chaos

The holidays can be as stressful as they are joyful. From gift shopping to family dynamics, the season’s demands can take a toll on your mental health. We can love our family, but they can still disturb the peace (you just pictured someone, didn't you). Here are some ideas to help you cope.

Tips for Managing Stress:

• Set Boundaries: Here's another reminder that you can say no. What's going to happen? Nothing. Maybe someone learns about boundaries from your 'no' and they apply some too! Win! Or maybe someone is deeply offended and writes a nasty text (worse case). Well, that person doesn't deserve your time anyway! Win again!

  
  

• Practise Gratitude: It sounds a bit overdone, but it does work. Focus on the positive aspects of the season by jotting down things you’re grateful for. I personally don't write them down, but I do think them/tell others/talk to myself about them (yes, I talk to myself).

  
  

• Breathe: Simple breathing exercises, like inhaling for four counts, holding for four, and exhaling for four, can calm your nervous system. If you have one of those fancy watches, it probably has that feature - you have my permission to sneak into the bathroom and reset, anytime you need.

  
  

• Move Your Body: I cannot stress this point enough - move, move, move. It doesn't matter if you need to run, walk, stretch, swim, dance.. just do it.

  
  

• Stretch: A good thing to do for stress/anxiousness is what I like to call "Big Muscle Stretching" - focus on your biggest muscles and stretch the 'fizziness' out of your body - hamstings, back, glutes, arms... feel your stress melt away and prepare for much better sleep.

  
  

• Schedule Downtime: Block out time in your calendar to relax, whether it’s reading, watching a movie, or simply doing nothing.

Creating a Healthy Festive Plan

Planning ahead can make all the difference in maintaining your health through the holidays.

1. Set Realistic Goals: Decide which aspects of your health you want to focus on—be it nutrition, sleep, or stress—and prioritise those. And hey, friend? You can't do it all, so pick what's important today.

   
   

2. Plan Your Meals: When attending events, eat a light, healthy snack beforehand to prevent overeating. Nothing worse than arriving hungry and overeating rich food.

   
   

3. Delegate: If you’re hosting, share responsibilities to ease your workload and stress. Did someone offer to bring a salad? Say yes please (and tell them to make it a cold pasta or potato salad, because cooked and cooled starches feed a hungry gut microbiome - you're welcome).

   
   

4. Stay Active: Schedule movement into your day, even if it’s a 15-minute walk after meals. Walking after meals will help you feel less full and also helps regulate insulin.

   
   

Hey, It's All Good

The festive season is meant to be enjoyed. With a little mindfulness, you can celebrate without everything getting derailed. By focussing on the bulk of your nutrition, sleep, energy, gut health and boundaries, you’ll easily weather any changes to your routine.

Remember, it’s not about perfection—it’s about balance. With these strategies, you can enter the New Year feeling energised, well-rested, and proud of how you navigated the season. Cheers to a happy, healthy holiday season!