The holidays are almost here! This also means comes stress, unhealthy foods, and (sometimes) intense family dynamics. Believe it or not, there is a way to have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving this year! Learn how to survive the holidays while also being able to enjoy yourself and the chaos. HFR and Samir Becic, author of the Amazon best-selling book ReSYNC Your Life, bring you the top 10 ways to survive thanksgiving… and the holidays in general:
- Stay calm: Take a deep breath, and know that you’ll survive the day. Before preparing dinner, take a walk around the neighborhood to clear your mind of stresses, and get your blood pumping for the energy it’ll need to get through the evening. Make sure you get plenty of rest the night before and wake up for enough time for a filling breakfast to last you throughout your day.
- Avoid alcohol for many reasons: Alcohol is a big no-no for the holidays. It can make Uncle Jim extra mean and can bring on lots of extra calories for you. Don’t waste your daily calorie intake on a beer, instead, go for an extra piece of lean turkey leg, or have an extra cup of eggnog. Alcohol can bring on many unnecessary issues, so don’t even allow it at the dinner table.
- Eat a small meal beforehand: Eating a small meal like a salad or a protein bar before sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner will mean you’ll eat less empty carbs, and won’t feel the need to stuff yourself to the point of sickness.
- Don’t bring up politics: Save yourself and your family the fights and not even bring up the names Hillary or Trump. No one is going to solve the nation’s issues at dinner, so why upset yourselves and make a joyful time miserable? If someone tries to start a political argument, bring up a positive movement that’s happening in the country.
- Don’t overstuff yourself: This goes for food and conversation. Eating way too much will cause uncomfortable bloating, and grogginess from all the extra food you didn’t need to eat. Know your limit, and only have seconds if they’re beneficial to your health (an extra plate of quinoa stuffing isn’t going to hurt anybody).
- Understand everyone’s dietary needs: Just because your grandpa is a carnivore and your aunt is vegan doesn’t mean they get to dictate what’s going to be on the dinner table. Keep note of your family’s allergies and dislikes, and make sure you have a dish that everyone will love. Making healthy dishes like oven roasted Brussel sprouts will satisfy everyone, and no one will have to go without.
- No personal questions allowed: Just because this is the only time of the year where the entire family is in the same spot, doesn’t mean you need to dig into their personal lives. Everyone has the grandma that’s constantly pressuring the grandkids on marriages and great-grandbabies, so just ignore the sly comments she may make, and try to talk about other things going on in your life that will entertain her, like your trip to Germany last month.
- Splurge on a healthy dessert: Just because you don’t want to run an extra mile after dinner doesn’t mean you have to skip dessert. Prepare a yummy treat everyone will love, like caramel-spiced apple slices. All you need to do is slice up some apples, then drench them in a sauce made of cinnamon, pecans, and apple cider.
- Put on a holiday movie in the background: Who can be unhappy with “A Christmas Story” playing in the background? Setting a happy and calm mood will bring peace within the family. Light some holiday candles like sugar cookie or peppermint and bring the joy of the holidays within your home.
- Realize it’s only a day: We all tend to put way too much stress on ourselves when it comes to the holidays, so take a step back and realize Thanksgiving is only one day out of the year. One day where all of the family is together, and we can forget about the stresses of our daily lives and come together for good food and good company. Enjoy yourself, you deserve it!
