Six tips for surviving Holiday eating {when you're on a health journey!}

If you follow me on social media, you know that my health journey is something I share about frequently. I've had a major health transformation -  I feel younger and healthier then ever - and I've been on a mission to help as many women {and families} as possible find health, happiness, and freedom just as I have! 

I have the honor and privilege of supporting many friends on their health journey. As I was talking to some friends last week about how to survive the holidays, I thought it might be nice to pull some tips together to share here. I'm not an expert - by any means - but these are some intentional boundaries and steps I will be leaning into this Christmas season as I visit parties, bake with my kids, and celebrate with friends and family. 

Here are six tips to help you make healthy choices this Christmas...
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1.  Drink alllllll the water - 
You should be drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water DAILY.  {At least}. Did you know that? This is essential to the health and wellness of your body!  Don't let the holidays throw off this necessary piece of your healthy routine. Focus daily on your water intake, especially on those days where you will be indulging. This will help flush out your system and help you feel better. It too will help you to not confuse hunger with thirst, giving you the ability to truly listen to your body. 

2. Keep moving! -
Even though we will have late nights and be out of routine during the month of December, try to stick with your movement routine! If you're a walker, don't neglect getting your walk in. If you take classes at the gym, get your booty there. Do something daily to move your body. This will help you to feel strong, relieve the stress of the season, and it'll help you keep yourself on track with your health and fitness goals. 

3. Enjoy the treats ON the holiday {but reign it in in the meantime!} - 
It would be SO easy to keep the party eating going alllll week long after that amazing party last Friday night. {{Am.I. right?!?!}} It's true! Did you know that most Americans gain about 5 pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas! {EEK!}. So here's the deal---> Enjoy the party...but then REIGN. IT. IN, friends! Get back on your healthy eating journey the very next morning! Don't let bad habits sneak in!  {#4 will partner well with this one...}

4. Find a friend to hold you accountable!  
If you're attending a party with a friend {or your spouse} ask them to hold you accountable to your indulging. Yes, enjoy the party. But choose two cookies, don't sample all 10 of them! Ask a friend to help you be accountable {also...choose a friend who WILL hold you accountable and won't encourage you to forget it and dig in! ha!}. You can have an amazing time, enjoy special treats, and still maintain some control. You have power over what goes in your mouth. Be in control, and ask a friend to link arms with you. Focus on the people at the party, not the food! 

5.  Decide ahead of time what you will have -
You are in control of what goes into your body. You may not feel like you are, but you are. Take some time before the party or at the beginning of each day and decide what you will or will not indulge in that day. Take control and recognize your power over this area of your life. Plan out what you will or won't have {for example: mentally preparing to have ONE glass of red wine at the party instead of 3 glasses}. Plan it out. 

6. Keep a food diary - 
This is something I just started doing. I'm trying to figure out how my body reacts to certain foods, however I'm recognizing that it is SO very telling of what REALLY goes into my body! There is some built in accountability that occurs when I know I have to write something down. No one else looks at my food diary, but it does make me have a heightened awareness of what choices I'm making as I have committed myself to recording them. Keeping a food journal forces you to be very honest with yourself and keeps you very mindful of what is going in your mouth daily. I highly recommend this in general...but especially during the height of the holiday season! It may make you pause and think before shoving that extra cookie in our mouth :)

Let's be completely honest, friends. We will indulge this month...and that is OK! That is understandable and enjoyable and perfectly wonderful! Don't walk into the season with strict unmanageable boundaries on yourself, instead, lean into the season with some intentional plans to help guard against mindlessly going wild. Focus on the people you are with instead of on the food! Food will always be there, but you may not always have that time with your friends and family. Soak it up and cherish every moment! 

What tip would you add to this list??? {Let me know in the comments!}