How to stay healthy during the holidays

For many, the holidays are a time to let loose … on everything. Occasional breaks are fine, but extended lapses in self-care can take a toll. Too much time off routine can leave you feeling worse, not refreshed.

Here are some ways you can enjoy the holidays without overdoing it:

Maintain a healthy diet, in the midst of sugar overload

With the holidays comes cookies, and cake, and fudge, and … you get the idea. Processed sugar is everywhere, and even the foods that aren’t sweet, are around in greater abundance than usual. When surrounded by friends and family, it’s easy—and expected—to overeat. Even during this challenging season, you can protect your health with a plan. A simple strategy helps minimize the impact.

Piedmont Columbus Regional registered dietitian Morgan Scheu RDN, LD, CNSC, recommends filling half your plate with non-starchy vegetables. Focus on a balanced plate for better nutrition. Go for fresh salad and roasted, grilled or steamed veggies. Save cheese or sauce-loaded vegetable dishes for special occasions and stick to a small serving.

A quarter of your plate should be lean protein, like skinless turkey breast, chicken, eggs, fish or seafood. The other quarter of your plate can be whole grains, like quinoa, brown rice, whole-grain pasta or whole-grain bread. She recommends limiting or having small portions of gravy, sauces and salad dressings.

“You can still have your favorite foods like mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce; just have a smaller portion,” she says. “You can also manage your portions by using a smaller plate, not going back for seconds and taking smaller slices of pies and cakes.”

Also, it's important to include vitamin D in your diet because reduced sunlight exposure can significantly affect your overall health.

Don’t slack on exercising

Colder weather and earlier nights make it easier to skip regular exercise—even for the most disciplined people. Even early risers who make time for a morning workout or run might be finding it a bit harder to climb out of their warm bed in the morning.

Adults ages 18–64 should get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity each week. Include two days of strength training.

It is hard to find time for this even outside of winter months? Absolutely. You can fit these exercises into your daily routine without extra time. They can even be done indoors, away from harsh weather. Walking, for example, is typically a really easy way to break up your day.

Everything in moderation

It’s okay to indulge in moderation—perfect habits aren’t realistic, especially during the holidays. Consistency matters most, and balance helps your body recover. Consistently prioritize your health to support overall well-being. This can also make it easier to bounce back after occasional indulgences.

Should you abandon all healthy habits only to try and overdo it at the gym in January? No. This makes it harder to stick to your regular routine and even tougher to reach new fitness goals, increasing the risk of falling off track.

But there’s nothing wrong with taking time to celebrate. Research shows that allowing regular “treat moments” helps people stick to healthy routines. Restricting everything all the time can make it harder to maintain. It’s all about avoiding the extremes.