5 Healthy Holiday Hacks That Help You Avoid Weight Gain and Feel Your Best

Andddd…it’s here!! My most fave time of the year! So many parties, cocktails, canapés to die for, and always another really good excuse to buy a new dress. Sounds dreamy except for that one thought lingering in the back of our mind…the one we don’t want to say out loud…

Don’t worry, I will say it for all of us; what do we do to beat the Holiday extra 5 lbs 🙈 coupled with bloating, indigestion and maybe lousy sleep…which then leads to a puffy face or not so fresh eyes…

I mean let’s be honest, we are all doing all the right things…eating our greens, being besties with protein at every meal, hydrating religiously, and capping every afternoon with a matcha…or are we really? Around this time the thought ‘it’s just this once’ creeps in …followed by ‘well it’s just the holidays I am supposed to have a good time’ and before you know reverse habit stacking has set in ;)

So, we need a game plan, one that is easy, doable, ‘remember-able’ and does not put a damper on any celebrations. So come closer…here is the plan.

5 Healthy Holiday Hacks to Feel Your Best This Season

1. Automate Your Breakfast for Balanced Blood Sugar

Your dinner will most likely be the wild card most days, so let’s focus on automating your breakfast so that it is high in protein paired with fibre.

• For Protein, aim for ~25-30 gr. Think eggs, cottage cheese or Greek yoghurt.

• For Fibre, aim for ~10 gr. Think flax, chia, or any berries/green vegetables you want to sneak in.

This way your blood sugar will be balanced and your digestion will be off and running smoothly.  You want to have  a clean evacuation every day. 💪

Support steady cortisol and energy by eating within one hour of waking up, and avoid having your coffee naked (aka without any food). 

2. Never Leave Home Without Almonds

Carry a bag of unsalted + unroasted almonds in your purse, so you always have an accessible snack that will keep your blood sugar steady.  Have a handful before cocktails as they slow alcohol absorption, and you can pack in fibre, healthy fat + protein. 

Your liver will thank you, and you will most likely by pass the pastry table later on.

3. Sip Clove Water for Digestion and Bloating

During the day sip on hot-ish water with 10 or more cloves tossed in, for extra digestive support.  Not only does clove water taste so cozy and holiday-ish, it stimulates digestive enzymes, helping to reduce bloating and gas, flushing out water retention. 

Clove water also helps improve insulin function, making it a perfect drink for reducing cravings and supporting a steady blood sugar. 

*Please note that if you plan on being near the mistle toe this will also reduce bad breath ;)

4. Sneak in NEAT Movement During the Holidays

Our exercise routine will most probably be over looked in December…there will always be a really good reason why you can’t go to the gym/Pilates class or out for a run. Lucky for you, you can always do NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.) This is when you add extra movement throughout your day!

Easy things to include could be:

• taking an extra flight of stairs

• walking your dog 2 more blocks

• doing 10 jump squats after you brush your teeth

These tiny bursts of activity add up and can significantly boost your daily caloric burn, support your metabolism and reduce blood sugar spikes. 

5. Don’t Waste Your Cocktails (Drink Strategically)

I’m going to end this with one final thought, never waste your alcohol.  Pick your top 4-5 festive parties where you will enjoy a drink and make them count, the other events choose to sip a bubbly water with mint leaves and lime in a cute glass.

Your body prioritizes burning alcohol over fat, and as long as alcohol is in your system your body will suppress fat burning… so food or other calories eaten at around the same time are more likely to be stored as fat. 

Your sleep quality will not be the greatest, you will doze off quickly but will be up and ready to start your day by 3 (AM).  And you know the garden we are so eagerly trying to cultivate in our gut? The Alcohol will kill the good bacteria and let the bad bacteria thrive, so make sure that drink is really worth it 🫶

How to Stay Healthy Without Missing the Holiday Magic

Remember, wellness isn’t about perfection, restriction, or missing out. It’s about making choices that support your body most of the time, so you can fully enjoy the moments that matter. Pick a few of these healthy holiday hacks, make them your own, and trust that your body knows how to meet you when you show up for it.

If this resonated, come hang out with me on Instagram for more holistic health tips, behind-the-scenes wellness support, and real-life habits that actually work. And keep an eye out...I’ll be rolling out new health services in January that are designed to support you even deeper in the year ahead.

Wishing everyone a Holistically Happy Holiday Season!

xo Peline