5 Top Tips for a Healthy Holiday Season

The holidays are here! But don’t worry - just because we’re in the middle of the season of pies, hot chocolate and all those delicious holiday dinners, that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your health and wellness. Here are some of our tips to stay healthy this holiday season! 

Drink turmeric water

This drink is becoming a trend - and it’s no surprise why! Turmeric is a spicy herb that’s known for its health benefits. It contains curcumin, which is believed to have anti-inflammatory effects and is full of antioxidants. Put ½ teaspoon of this spice into warm water and drink on an empty stomach in the morning (you can add in lemon and honey to taste, too). Drinking turmeric water can increase weight loss, improve your digestion, boost your immune system, and possibly relieve inflammatory pain symptoms.  

Because we love turmeric so much, we’ve even incorporated it as an ingredient into many of our products. Not only will it reduce inflammation and give you healthier looking skin, it’ll help keep you healthy on the inside, too. 

Take a daily probiotic

Not only do daily probiotics promote gut health, improve your digestive system and boost your immune system, they can also benefit your skin, too! Try taking our Daily Probiotic and Skin Health complex with food every morning. This probiotic is formulated to give you all the typical health benefits of a daily probiotic supplement while also helping your skin look hydrated, healthy, and clear. You’ll be prepared to tackle the madness of the holiday season inside and out. 

Pre-plan healthy meals

Between long days of working, shopping for gifts and decorating your house, time for healthy dinners is limited. And when you’ve got delicious, carb filled leftovers in your fridge, reaching for healthy options might not be your first choice. If you're trying to stay on track during the holidays, try PlateJoy, the meal planner that makes it easy to eat healthier. Take the personalization quiz and you'll get recipes and grocery lists tailored to your health goals, tastes, and busy schedule. You can even get all your ingredients delivered same-day! 

Here’s one of our favorite dinner recipes: 

Dijon-crusted chicken thighs with parsnip puree

40 minutes, Serves 2

⅓ cup chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped rosemary

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

4 skin-on boneless chicken thighs

2 parsnips

⅔ cup milk

1 tbsp butter

½ lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine parsley, rosemary, dijon, ½ tbsp garlic, the white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp

olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat.

Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium. Sear chicken thighs on both sides, about 2 minutes

per side, then transfer to the oven. Roast 15 to 20 minutes, or inside of the chicken registers

165 F degrees on a meat thermometer.

Meanwhile, prepare the parsnip puree. Peel parsnip and cut into bite-sized pieces. Heat

remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add remaining ½ tbsp garlic

and the parsnip. Cook 1 minute, then add milk and let simmer until parsnip is soft.

Zest and juice lemon, for 1 tsp zest and 1 tbsp juice. When ready, transfer parsnip mixture to a

blender or food processor, along with the butter, lemon zest and juice. Pulse until smooth, then

season with salt to taste. Add more liquid if needed to reach your desired consistency.

Enjoy chicken with parsnip puree, with pan juices spooned over the top.

For even more holiday meal and snack inspiration, visit platejoy.com to sign up for their customized recipe lists. Use code TULA10 to get $10 off and make 2018 your healthiest + happiest year yet! 

Schedule in your gym time

Who wants to go to the gym when you could staying inside with a cup of hot cocoa and a holiday movie? Getting yourself to the gym during the holiday season can feel downright impossible - so that’s why you should physically write down your gym days in your planner or on your calendar to make yourself actually get there.

Forcing yourself to write down your gym time will make you more likely to go (because we all love crossing things off of our to-do lists, right?). Once you’ve completed your workout, then you can reward yourself with a relaxing evening or holiday movie marathon. It’s all about balance, right? 

If you can’t make it to the gym, work out at home

If you absolutely can’t get to the gym, get in some cardio at home! Make it into a fun game: if you’re watching a holiday movie on TV, alternate 30 second planks and 30 crunches during a commercial break. 

If you’re baking cookies, use the cook time to do 10 minutes of arm toning exercises (extra points if you use wrapped gifts as weights!). 

Create a holiday playlist of your favorite high energy songs and dedicate thirty minutes to a workout in your room: because lunges, squats, pushups, and sit ups are much more fun when you’re listening to “Jingle Bells”!

And there you have it - 5 easy ways to stay healthy this holiday season. Incorporate these tips into your routine and you’ll enjoy your healthiest holiday season yet!