The holidays, for many of us, are a time of celebration and spending time with family and friends.  But often, the holidays can mean over indulgence, stress, weight gain, or illness.  Staying healthy and active during the holidays can be challenging.  From preventing weight gain to avoiding illness, here are some tips to help you stay healthy this holiday season:

Eating healthy

Meals.  Planning out health meals ahead of time can help you stay on track with your diet.  If you wait until you get home from work, exhausted, with little or nothing in the fridge, you’re more likely to order takeout or eat out which can not only be a less healthy option, but hard on the pocketbook, too.

Snacks. Keep healthy snacks at home.  Fruits and veggies, low fat yogurt or string cheese, an ounce of nuts – these nutritious snacks are good for the whole family.  Avoid buying treats high in sugar or fat.  If cookies, chips and crackers are not in the kitchen cupboard, they are much easier to avoid.  Say no to treats brought in by your boss or coworkers at work.

The word on alcohol

Celebrating the holidays often involves alcohol.  From the spiced eggnog to the glasses of champagne on New Year’s eve, staying in control of what and how much you imbibe can be difficult.  According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as having up to 1 drink per day for women, and up to 2 drinks per day for men.  Choose water or non-alcoholic beverages as alternatives to alcohol.  And remember, if you’ve been drinking, don’t drive.  Talk with friends and family members before the party begins and assign a designated driver.

Take time to exercise

The reality is, you have to make time for exercise.  Fitting exercise into an already busy schedule is difficult, so put it into your calendar like you would a meeting or make it part of your routine.  If you have trouble motivating, ask a friend, neighbor or coworker to take a walk with you.  Celebrating the holidays doesn’t have to mean weight gain!  But keeping the pounds off does mean discipline.  Sticking to your exercise program or incorporating activity into your holidays takes conscious effort.  Make a personal goal and stick to it.

Staying well

Avoid illness.   It’s hard to enjoy the holiday cheer if you’re not feeling well.  There are things you can do to reduce your risk of getting sick this season, including:  wash your hands before eating, use hand sanitizer during travel or when you’re out in public, get the flu shot, get a good night’s rest (at least 8 hours), stay hydrated.  If you are sick, stay home and take care of yourself.  If you do visit with friends or relatives when you’re feeling under the weather, keep your distance and cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze to help reduce transmitting your illness to others.

Mood.  Sometimes the holidays can exacerbate feelings of sadness or loneliness.  If you are feeling sad or depressed, talk with a friend or family member, a therapist or your doctor.  Exercise, avoidance of alcohol, restful sleep and social support can help prevent depression but if you are having persistent or severe symptoms, make an appointment to discuss this with your doctor.

Travel.  If you are traveling by plane this season, once you are able to move around the cabin, get up and take a walk.  This can help decrease the risk of DVTs, or blood clots in the leg, from forming.  Especially if you are at increased risk of blood clots, remember to  frequently get up and move, take a stroll down the isle.  Also, take your medication as prescribed by your physician and stay hydrated.