Buckle up and take some deep breaths, the holidays are here. And typically, they involve a lot of F-O-O-D. This can be thrilling for some and triggering for others.

How can we manage it and MAINTAIN, NOT GAIN weight during this holiday season? We can continue to do what we do daily and plan for special occasions.

Here’s some tips to try below! 

EAT MEALS
Avoid skipping meals or depriving ourselves and beware of the scarcity mentality. This is when overindulging tends to happen. Eat slowly and mindfully. Savor those beverages and bites.

HYDRATE WITH H20
Take 10 sips each time you drink. Remember that the calories in sugar-laden and alcoholic beverages add up quickly. Also, be mindful of the consequences on your mental and physical health the following day.

PLANNED INDULGENCES
Take a look at your week and consider the times when you will want to splurge - plan for it, name it and enjoy it. If you love pumpkin pie with all your heart and eat it once per year, then enjoy that slice (or two) and savor every single bite. The anticipation is *almost* as delicious as the pie.
In ONE WORD, what kind of holiday do you want this year? Calm, festive, family or friend-filled, or really low-key? What is your HOLIDAY INTENTION?

Enjoy time connecting with the humans who you care about, take walks outside (bundle up), take holiday time-outs if you need them, try to prioritize sleep so you can stay sane (and keep up your immunity too), cozy up and read a book or simply do ONE THING that NOURISHES your mind and body.

Let’s take a DEEP BREATH together and ease into this season with purpose. You’ve got this!

Three more Mindful Eating Tips
~Adapted from Geneen Roth
1. Eat when you are hungry and eat until you are 80% full.
2. Eat sitting down without distractions and in a calm environment.
3. Eat with enjoyment, gusto and pleasure (no guilt.)

Enjoy Healthy Holiday Recipes:
1. Roasted Asparagus 
2. Honey Baked Apples
You can also join our Maintain Don't Gain Community Challenge today . It's free to join and will help you avoid gaining those extra holiday pounds. The goal is for you or your team to maintain your weight within two pounds per person. You will receive weekly emails with even more healthy recipes and tips to help you stay motivated and fit throughout the holiday season.

About Blue Zones Project - Southwest Florida

Summer Manning is the Senior Marketing Specialist with Blue Zones Project - SWFL. Summer Manning combines her passion for marketing and well-being as the Marketing Lead for Blue Zones Project Southwest Florida with the goal to help people live longer, better. She has been an executive in marketing and public relations for over 20 years. During the past three years, she became a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and has been teaching simple lifestyle modifications to clients and communities for optimized wellness. She recently moved from coast to coast - from Huntington Beach, CA to Estero, FL with her husband and two very active sons. She is a beach lover and forest bather. 

Blue Zones Project - Southwest Florida is a community well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through sustainable changes to environment, policy, and social networks. The Project is brought to Southwest Florida by NCH Healthcare System.