I’m still recovering from my infusion and I’m also writing papers like there’s no tomorrow, so please enjoy this guest post from Lydia. I’ll be back later this week!

Hey everybody! My name is Lydia and I’m a life + style blogger over on my blog, wheretheprettythingsare.net. I am guest-posting for Kate today with a post all about staying healthy during the holidays. I always find it so hard to keep healthy while I’m around all the food (and holiday food is THE best). Whether you are like me with no diet restrictions or are gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, etc., it’s always hard!

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1- Plan out your meals in advance: It’s always easy to have a healthier breakfast/lunch/dinner when it’s all planned out. Right a list of some healthy but tasty recipes and get the ingredients first thing in the week. Get everything you’ll need for the week, that way you won’t need to run to the grocery store too! For some recipe inspo, click here.

2- Give yourself a break: The holidays are the perfect time to gather with friends and feast eat. Which means, you don’t totally have to cut out everything. Eat a triple-chocolate brownie with frosting or a burger from In-n-Out to stay sane and have fun during the holidays!

3- Work out only when it goes along with your schedule: During the summer and fall, I try to work out 6 times a week. However, once it gets to the holiday season, I like to spend my evenings watching Christmas movies or going to holiday parties! Which means, I don’t get as much time to work out. I made a realistic goal a few weeks ago to work out a minimum of 3 times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri). Super realistic and it works with my schedule. I’d say work out a minimum of twice a week, and try to figure out the best time that you are available (maybe the days when you rarely have anything going on).

4- Have fun and get creative with your workouts: Since we’re talking about working out, get creative with your workout routine! I love doing hot yoga during the winter since it gets so cold in Wisconsin (the best way to warm up) and it’s such a perfect de-stresser I would highly recommend yoga! Another fun workout is zumba (a dance workout).

[bctt tweet=”How To Stay Healthy During the Holidays” username=”kmitchellauthor”]

5- Stay hydrated: Perhaps the most obvious way to stay healthy is to drink lots and lots of water. I often found it hard to drink 50 oz. a day, but I got a cute water bottle and carried it around with me. With the winter coming, tea is another great option!

6- Bless up, rest up: Staying rested during the holidays is crucial! Just like drinking lots of water, getting enough rest is also really important. With all the (possible) stress that can surround the holidays, we sometimes end up only getting 4-6 hours a night which is a big no-no (aim for 8+ hours a night). Trust me, you’ll notice a huge difference.

7- Limit your treat intake: I am a sugaraholic, I love eating sugary treats (cue 2 pounds of fudge). A little bit of sugar is totally fine, but eating all the treats in site is not the best idea! And, you definitely won’t feel too great. I limit how many desserts I eat to 4-5 times a week, but if you’re not quite as a sugar-lover as me, I’d suggest 2-3 desserts a week!
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What are your tips for staying healthy during the holidays? Let us know in the comment section below! Come say hello on my blog or find me on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter