5 Tips For a Happy, Healthy Thanksgiving With Family This Year

The holidays are supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, right? (Cue the Andy Williams song). Yet, for many, this busy time of year brings more stress than joy. Along with those bundles of gifts wrapped in sparkly bows, the holidays can be a big bundle of messy and complicated family dynamics, extra busy schedules and added expenses. That stress can really derail our best-laid health goals—especially when faced with seemingly endless cookies, charcuterie boards, and decadent desserts that are inevitably part of Thanksgiving and the winter holidays. While these are all really valid reasons to stress out, there are also powerful and helpful tools that can help you to minimize stress and avoid eating all the things, so you can genuinely enjoy time spent with family and friends this season. Whether you have multiple Thanksgivings and Friendsgivings (an actual word since 2020, according to Merriam-Webster!) to attend, and whatever your holiday stress triggers may be, we’re sharing some essential tips to help you navigate your way to a more harmonious, relaxed and mindful Turkey Day this year. 1. Breathe … It’s Just One Day (Out of 365) As the holiday approaches, don’t forget that Thanksgiving is just one day out of the entire year. This is important to remember not only when it comes to the food choices you make throughout the day, but also with any conversations happening at the dinner table. If you’ve been creating healthy habits, one day of what we like to call “conscious indulgences” won’t change that. So consider loosening the reins a bit and know that your healthy lifestyle will be waiting for you tomorrow. Oh, and indulging a bit on the holidays is actually a part of a healthy lifestyle. Also, those relatives who insist on trotting out their politics or sharing their pandemic prophecies over turkey won’t be at your dinner table tomorrow, either. (Whew!) That being said, if you’re so inclined to stay the course, go into the day prepared. Dinner conversation takes a stressful turn? It’s OK to excuse yourself and head outside for some fresh air. Maybe offer to take the dog for a walk. If you’re a guest this year, bring healthy, veggie-dense sides (like these) and reach for those instead. Also, remember to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated in between those Thanksgiving tipples you’re sure to imbibe. (You’ll thank us for this the next day.) And if you’re hosting, try preparing healthy twists on classic dishes–your house, your rules, right? The point is to have a plan but also give yourself grace if it doesn’t go perfectly. 2. Shift Your Mindset We don’t recommend heading into the day planning to restrict your calorie intake, because that doesn’t typically end well for anyone. Restricting yourself from eating things is negative energy, and why should we focus energy on pushing ourselves to not do things? Focus on the positive instead. If your goal right now is to eat more nutritionally dense foods, think about it in terms of abundance and all that you can eat—like those delicious, nutritious sides you brought to Aunt Mary’s house! Also, some foods can be bad for you, but eating them doesn’t make you a bad person. What’s most important is to eat from a place of empowerment. The healthiest diet is an approach to eating that fuels your mind and body, and fits into your lifestyle. It’s all about the mindset behind the actual eating of the desert. 3. Practice Self Care Before the chaos of the day sets in, be sure to carve out some time for yourself (what we at Nutritious Life call “nurturing yourself,” one of our eight pillars) in the morning. Go for a jog, meditate, or practice some yoga in your living room to get the day off to a positive start. And whatever you do, don’t skip breakfast on Thanksgiving morning! Eating breakfast will help balance your blood sugar levels, and help keep you from overeating throughout the rest of the day. And remember to savor the delicious food that’s been prepared for you, enjoying every bite. Throughout the day, take mindful breaks if needed; step outside, sit in your car, or even hide in the bathroom for a couple of minutes. If necessary, say you need to make a phone call or respond to an email and excuse yourself for as long as you need to regroup. Give dinner time to digest, and end the day with a walk outside—with or without family members. This is a great way to get in a little movement and also decompress and shake off some of the anxious, built up energy from the day. Do whatever you need to do to protect your mental health—and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks. 4. Cultivate Gratitude One of the best ways to ensure a smooth Thanksgiving is to remember what this day is really about—spending time with family and friends, and being grateful for all that we have. The events of 2020 left many of us separated from our family and friends during the holidays, so if you’re able to gather with loved ones this year, remember to embrace their company and all of the awkward, tense, stressful (and, of course, joyous!) moments that come with it. As parents and grandparents get older, we may find ourselves longing for the times we were able to get together with the entire family, even if everything wasn’t perfect. If you don’t have a gratitude practice yet, consider starting one now so it will be in full force by Thanksgiving. Here’s a simple one to get you started: Every night, an hour before bed, write down three things you’re grateful for that happened that day. This will train your brain to look for good things throughout the day and has been proven to strengthen the immune system, improve sleep patterns, feelings of optimism, and the ability to experience more joy. By Thanksgiving, you’ll notice the ease

How to De-stress for a Zen Holiday Season

The entire holiday season can be an exercise in learning how to de-stress. From talking politics at the table to the mania of shopping-baking-decorating to managing your budget. But here’s a tip to allay your worries: you don’t have to skip it all and book a silent retreat in order to find calm. By simply following the core principles of living a nutritious life, it’s possible to balance your hormones and tap into your inner Zen. Start with these five research-tested tips. How to de-stress during the holidays 1. Sleep Deep. Lack of adequate sleep is linked to mood disorders like anxiety and depression and also to weight gain, which can raise levels of cortisol, that nasty “stress hormone” that throws your mind and body out of whack in major ways. If you’re having trouble establishing a consistent routine amid holiday commitments, try outfitting your sleep space with tools like a Sunrise Simulation Alarm Clock, which will wake you gradually with the light of a simulated sunrise so you hop out of bed with maximum energy and keep your circadian rhythms in check. 2. Live consciously. All it takes is five to ten minutes of peace per day. Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years, and in modern times has been shown to effectively reduce stress. Set aside a block of time and stick to it, whether that means just sitting still and focusing on your breath, trying a guided meditation via an app, or even going on a quiet stroll through the park. Just remember, don’t get caught up in meditating the “right way,” which will just lead to more stress. Do what is best for you. 3. Eat empowered. A sugar rush from refined carbs makes you feel good in the moment, but when the blood sugar comes down, you feel depressed and beat yourself up for having eaten that third cookie. Instead, focus on making sure your diet contains specific nutrients associated with stress relief. Dark green leafy vegetables and whole grains contain folic acid, a B vitamin, which is considered a mood stabilizer and a precursor to serotonin—a “feel good” hormone. Almonds are rich in vitamins B2 and E, magnesium, and zinc, nutrients associated with fighting the free radicals linked to stress in the heart. Plus, crunching down on them can be satisfying in managing feelings of aggression. 4. Nurture yourself. Pampering yourself may take up a little time, but the relaxation benefits will be worth it. Essential oils have been used in traditional medicine for centuries, and breathing in certain scents can make a huge difference in your mood. A couple days a week, take two extra minutes to light a therapy candle, apply a calming, scented moisturizer, or to give your pillow a spritz of relaxing lavender-scented spray. 5. Sweat often. Research has shown exercise can be a super effective strategy for reducing anxiety, and it boosts endorphins, which can make us happy and distract us from our daily worries. It also has other effects that can tangentially help you de-stress, like helping you sleep better at night and boosting self-confidence. One easy way to get motivated to move more? Try a fitness tracker like the FitBit Charge, which will give you fun feedback on how much you’re walking, running, and even breathing. Again, it’s all connected.   This blog was created in partnership with Withings.