How 6 Wellness Gurus Are Staying Healthy This Holiday

This post is from our contributor FP Naomi.

We all know how it goes. Every day there are more “treats” at the office…someone else is having a party. It’s easy to get out of whack around the holidays. Not only do we face the doom of over-eating, but it can be stressful. You need to find perfect gifts for everyone on your list, you have to be here at this time, and – yikes – you’re having a party of your own. Well, that’s why I’m letting the experts step in on this one. Take it from the wellness gurus themselves. Here is what they plan to do to avoid the pounds and the stress, and to keep their bodies healthy this holiday.

Have something that you’re doing to stay healthy, too? Leave it in the comments! We’d love to hear :).

kathryn budig

(Photo by Jasper Johal)

Kathryn Budig, Yoga Instructor (YogaGlo, KathrynBudig.com) & Co-Founder of Poses for Paws

What is one thing you are doing to stay healthy over the holidays?

I joke with friends that everything should be taken in moderation except moderation. The holidays are just that—an exuberance of indulgence, flavors, lights, smells, and celebration. Unfortunately, all the fa-la-la-la packs on the weight. I’m normally working on strengthening my body but during the holidays I don’t try to lose—I try to maintain. I see people get way too stressed out during the holiday season about packing on weight, not losing weight, etc. The holidays are meant to be enjoyed but not conquered. My advice is focus on maintaining. Keep working out, doing yoga, or whatever your fitness routine is. Start your day with an awesome green shake, try to keep lunch healthy and nutritious as well, but then enjoy your parties! Have some nog! It’s all about balance, and in this season of celebration, let’s make it guilt free.

How does it help you stay healthy? 

Maintenance translates to balance and I think that’s the key to living a healthy lifestyle. It’s unhealthy to eat junk and sit around but it’s also unhealthy to work out like a maniac, only eat super foods, and count every calorie that enters your mouth. Any form of extreme will rattle us. True health comes from awareness, balance, enjoying the food AND sweat, and loving the body you’re currently in.

carissa ann love grace juice

(Photo by Joe Tanis)

Carissa-Ann, Co-founder of Love Grace Juice

What is one thing you are doing to stay healthy over the holidays?

Holidays are about having fun, celebrating, and creating, which feels impossible to do if you’re not feeling energetic and bright. To help me stay healthy and intentional, I carry green juice and super nutrient packed smoothies with me. I make sure to start my day with a green juice and drink a couple of bottles each day. My go-to is Green Sunshine. It feels good anytime of the day and is a great reset.

How does it help you stay healthy? 

Starting my day with a green juice is awesome. I’m alkalizing and hydrating first thing, kicking cravings, and making healthier, more conscious food choices throughout the day. Any quality organic green juice is good for this. I’ve been free of cravings this whole season which is quite empowering! I eat and drink things that I WANT to, not because I NEED to. It’s a beautiful, more enjoyable experience with just an easiness and lightness around the whole thing. Oh, and smoothies like Chocolate Superfood high in iron and magnesium keep me nutritionally satisfied and have really supported me in getting off cane sugar and caffeine by stabilizing my blood sugar. No crashes! (Yipee!) It really is holistic. My body feels light and strong, my mind sharp and peaceful, my spirit glowing and bright. Being with the family and playing superheroes with the little nieces and nephews is a blast!  This season I’m feeling full of love and energy!

larissa carlson kripalu ayurveda

Larissa Carlson, Dean at the Kripalu School of Ayurveda

What is one thing you are doing to stay healthy over the holidays?

Gargling with warm salt water each morning and evening is my most reliable technique for staying healthy over the holidays.  It’s an extremely safe, easy, cheap, and effective way to protect the system from germs.

How does it help you stay healthy? 

Similar to how using a neti pot with warm salt water helps remove excess mucus, congestion, germs, bacteria, and allergens from the nasal passages, gargling with warm salt water helps to eliminate germs and bacteria from the throat before they can dig into the bloodstream and compromise the health of the immune system.  It’s a great way to ward off sickness throughout the holiday season.

julie morris superfood smoothies

(Photo by Oliver Barth)

Julie Morris, Natural food chef and bestselling author of Superfood Smoothies

What is one thing you are doing to stay healthy over the holidays?

Whether it’s for breakfast or right before a holiday party, I really lean on having at least one superfood smoothie and/or green juice a day – it’s like working out…it always makes you feel good, and you never regret it.

How does it help you stay healthy? 

Beyond the fact that smoothies and juices are so simple to make and easy to enjoy, I genuinely see smoothies and juices as part of my daily “insurance”: they’re incredibly dense in micronutrients (thanks to superfoods), so my body always has a premium healthy base to draw from, regardless of any not-so-healthy food situations I may find myself in later. Plus, because these beverages are so naturally energizing in the healthiest of ways, undesirable cravings are not nearly as strong!

sarah britton my new roots

Sarah Britton, Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Nutritional Practitioner, and food blogger at My New Roots 

What is one thing you are doing to stay healthy over the holidays?

I think one of the most challenging aspects of the holidays is how often I am eating out — at other people’s houses, restaurants, parties, and social functions. My solution to avoiding “questionable edibles” is to bring some homemade, healthy food with me wherever I’m invited. The host always says yes to my offering and greatly appreciates the effort, and I can still eat exactly what I want!

How does it help you stay healthy? 

The food I make is always loaded with fresh organic produce, plant-based protein, superfoods, healthy oils, and other high-quality ingredients. When I cook myself, I know exactly what is going into the food and how it is going to make me feel. I think we need to be even more nourished during the stress of the holidays to keep us grounded and sane, both mentally and physically! 

jovial king urban moonshine

Jovial King, Founder of Urban Moonshine

What is one thing you are doing to stay healthy over the holidays?

As an herbalist I relish the abundance of ways I can use medicinal plants to gracefully usher me through the darkest days of winter and the frenzy of the holidays!  From herbal infused cocktails and digestive bitters before rich family meals – to after work herbal baths.  The holidays are a joyful time but it’s also the season of over indulgence.  I love to enjoy all of what this time of year has to offer (including the abundance of Christmas cookies!) and I do it without guilt or stress because I know that I have my everyday Urban Moonshine herbal apothecary to keep me healthy and calm.  Herbal bitters are a key part of my wellness routine this time of year.

How does it help you stay healthy? 

Bitters help to curb sugar cravings, aid in efficient digestion, ease the digestive discomfort that comes with over eating, and help support the liver – and most of us need a little extra liver support during this time of year with all the celebratory drinking that can happen. Bitters are part of my daily ritual; I take them before and after dinner every night.  I also take them if I over eat or if my stomach feels a little off, they really do work wonders! Sipping a little sparkling water and bitters before eating is a perfect way to engage mindful eating.  Cheers!

Visit Naomi’s blog Numie Abbot.

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10 years ago

These are all perfect tips! Definitely keeping them all in mind and putting them into action for the rest of this holiday season.

xo, Juliette Laura
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10 years ago

Electrolytes are super helpful for me over the holidays. With all of the parties and drinking, it can be hard to remember to stay hydrated. I find that taking the time before I drink to have a glass of water with an electrolyte powder pack (there are lots of good ones out there) helps me to be more mindful throughout the night AND almost eliminates any hangover. Hangovers are mostly dehydration, so jump starting with electrolytes before you have your first drink guarantees that you will stay hydrated through the evening. It also helps to have a drink-water-drink rule. Having a glass of water between each cocktail will make you feel better and, depending on where you are, save you money! I also travel with a bottle of tea tree oil and use a q-tip to swab my nostrils with it in the evening. I find that it prevents infection, helps with congestion and the relaxing smell allows for really restful sleep. Happy partying!

great tips! i agree with sarah in bringing your own healthy dish that you know you can eat and share with others. :) i also just posted my top 10 tips for staying healthy during the holidays over on my blog. give it a look! http://bloomandnourish.com/2013/12/19/10-tips-for-staying-healthy-during-the-holidays/

happy holidays!

10 years ago

I love the tips!

10 years ago

You know, there’s a lot of great advice in this post—thanks for sharing! I’ll be honest with you, though. I’ve had a rather cruddy few weeks, so I’m not even going to try and stress myself about diet over the holidays. Like one pro said, everything in moderation except moderation. I plan on being merry this christmas!

Happy Holidays to you all!
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Beka
10 years ago

Most of these tips are nice, however, alkaline diets and alkaline water hoaxes have been debunked. There are already so many real benefits to drinking green juice, we don’t need to make up pretend reasons.

10 years ago

great tips!

10 years ago

Jolly ol’ Santa may not be the best role model for a healthy holiday. With his great girth, penchant for candy, coffee and cigarettes it’s a Xmas miracle that Santa is around to make his Xmas deliveries. To believe the vintage ads Santas sweet tooth was only surpassed by his copious capacity to smoke endless cigarettes http://wp.me/p2qifI-X2http://wp.me/p2qifI-1VK

Lisa Connell
10 years ago

We decided this year that after Thanksgiving until Christmas eve our kids/family would have no candy, cookies, cakes, sugar at all and it was wonderful!!!

10 years ago

I would like to add ‘keep moving’. Exercise daily, even if it is a walk around the neighborhood, get the heart pumping, fresh air and a piece of mind. Eating healthy can have many different appearances. Eat to feel good and all food should be beneficial.

Need to manage stress?? Try sitting quietly for 5 minutes, just sit.