Staying on track with self care, health and fitness is hard enough during the rest year but can be especially hard during the holidays, I want to help you with that! I know what it is like to be a busy mom and have days where you can accomplish only enough to keep those kids alive and fed. You’re trying to balance work and life and home and it’s a lot.
In this blog I’m highlighting the 3 areas to consider to help you stay healthy and energized through the holidays, plus my hacks to make it all happen and what I do to set myself up for the most success.
Supplementation for optimal health
First lets talk supplements, this is something that is often overlooked by the majority of people. There are actually 13 essential vitamins and minerals the body needs that it can not make itself and too often we are not getting enough of these from the food we eat alone. Which means there needs to be supplementation! Supplements are an efficient and effective way to supplement (add to) our diet. I’ve been supporting my diet with supplements for years and always notice when I miss a few days. My husband Sal and his team work tirelessly to produce supplements that are effective in overall health and supporting recovery! They also have Registered Dietician, Darcy Kammeier on this team who can work with you to help determine where you might need a supplenent.
There are a few supplements she feels comfortable to recommending to mostly everyone but individualized supplement recommendations are best because everyones diets and lifestyles are different. The few that everyone can benefit from, and that I use regularly, are: Microfactor, Opti-Greens 50 and Full-mega!
Quick summary of those supplements:
Microfactor – this is your multi-vitamin packet that contains probiotics (gut health), antioxidants, concentrated fruits + veggies, CoQ10, and some essential fatty acids.
Opti-Greens 50 – 50 body loving ingredients awesome for inflammation and digestion! The benefits from the antioxidants and nutrients can help boost your immune system (win, especially during flu season).
Full-mega – This is an omega-3 supplement from fish. Omega-3’s help with improving cholesterol, decreasing inflammation and overall cognitive function. These are your healthy fats.
No supplements replace healthy foods but they do help fill gaps where your diet can’t cover. There are a wide range of supplements on the market and it can be overwhelming so do your research and talk to an RD for support. You can reach Darcy at her email: darcyk@1stphorm.com or her instagram @darcyelaine.
meal planning and Prep
Nutrition is so so important! You know what they say, “abs are made in the kitchen”. It’s 80% diet and 20% exercise. Meal prepping is 100% the best way to stay on track. If there is a healthy meal in the fridge then you know exactly what to reach for when the hanger hits. This means spending a few hours on a Sunday batching your chicken, veg, rice etc. depending on your goals.
If you are counting macros you know your food has to be dialled in which means portioning your food correctly. Meal prepping is super helpful for this! I know this can be time consuming but if you are prepared you are more likely to be successful. I think tracking macros is one of the best ways to meet your physical goals btw, if you don’t know how I have another blog post on it here.
If you want a done-for-you solution A Perfect Fit is a meal prepping service that can have you covered. Definitely a luxury option so it depends what your priorities are. The team will totally take care of you though! The experts plan your meals for the week, design your grocery list, deliver your groceries and prepare your meals. Wow right! Who said money can’t buy happiness lol. They utilize quick and tasty meals that can easily be divided into servings and stored for the week without losing their flavor. This food prep solutions also allows for flexibility and can be adjusted to appease even the pickiest eaters in your household.
One meal they made for us was the Sweet + Salty Sheet Pan Fajita and it was so yummy, also used very little dishes and had tons of flavor. When they send you the meal plans it is laid out in a nice document that includes: the shopping list, instructions, optional add-ins and then the nutritional facts for the meal. This is very handy especially if you track your macros or other daily value intakes.
PS. They shared with my their proprietary recipe so I’m including it here.
Interested in their services? Contact them via email or by completing the form on there website for a FREE 15 minute consultation with their Registered Dietitian.
staying consistent with Fitness
Exercising is probably one of the most soothing parts of my day, I know that it is dedicated time for me to take care of myself. Yes sometimes it is short and interrupted by small children but at least I know I have done something for myself that day. One of the biggest things we forget about exercise is the mental health aspect. Exercise releases stress, I recommend making it a priority to help you stay on track and manage stress especially during the holidays. Basically do whatever it takes to get your body moving, you are worth it!You guys know I love my EMOMs, I post them daily on my website for free if you ever need some inspiration.
While we’re on the topic I have to emphasize that working out is not going to make you big and bulky. Lifting weights will help you tone and tighten and also keep your joints healthy! There are tons of great free workouts on Pinterest and YouTube where you can chose body weight exercises (if you have no home equipment), or bands, or weights and follow along. Online coaches and personal trainers are also super helpful for accountability. You could even go a little crazy and commit to a trainer in November or December instead of January like everyone else 😉 and really hold yourself accountable through the end of the year!
I have also been digging into the MyTransphormation Starts Today app for some of my workouts. This app is for nutrition guidance, tracking progress and monitoring workouts. It’s a really good one-stop-shop app to help you stay on track. You can track food intake which is especially good if you are closely counting macros. They also offer daily workouts from beginner to advanced, and you can get personal coaching from an advisor. The subscription costs about as much as your favorite Starbucks drink per month, which is by far one of the cheapest workout plans I’ve ever seen. Definitely worth a try for at least a month, but I have a feeling you’ll get hooked too.
So when it comes to staying consistent and getting your body moving you have a few options:
- Search for free workouts to do at home, there are SO many!
- Hire a personal trainer or virtual coach for massive accountability and results
- Use an app like MyTransformation to help keep you on track while you manage your own nutrition/fitness plan
Staying consistent is all about routine and committing the time. Whenever I’m unmotivated I remind myself of the many benefits of getting that EMOM in and I start by just putting on my gym clothes. Once I’m dressed the workout happens! We all seem to make time for 45 minutes of Netflix so we can probably do the same for exercise!
small but Simple Changes
If you can make small changes and incorporate healthy habits in fitness, nutrition, and stress management you will feel SO much better! I try and stay on track with my supplements, nutrition and fitness every week and focus on doing what I can with the time I have. I know if I prioritize these things my days simply go better, I feel better and my mood is better.
The holidays are an even busier time and with everything going on in the world I’m not sure what holiday celebrations or even gift giving is going to look like this year. The best gift we can give ourselves is taking care of ourselves so that we can take care of other people around us. Never be afraid to ask for help, going at it alone can be confusing and overwhelming.
Bottom line is to set small goals and take care of yourself.
The exciting holiday season awaits, let’s stay energized and healthy!
XO
Racquel
