Healthy for the Holidays

By Dr. Jon Thomas, DC, Board Certified Chiropractic Physician.

Instead of making New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and get fit, why not get a head start?

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It’s the holiday season and with all the food, smells, and activitiy of the season it is difficult to stay on track to maintaining a healthy approach to the festivities. Just because it’s the holiday season doesn’t mean you should lose sight of the goals you have set for your health and fitness. In fact this is the perfect time to get on track and start before the New Year’s Resolutions buzz through the air!

One other challenge people face during the holidays is injuring or exacerbating old injuries by taking up all the physical activities of the season. Many people travel and between the different chairs and beds end up sore and in pain. Also, it can be hard to find the time to get your adjustments in. It’s a great time to make sure that you have set up the month’s Chiropractic adjustment schedule to address the added stress and strain to your body!

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Many people are resigned to putting on a few pounds, or several pounds, and then making a New Year’s resolution to lose weight, get in shape, etc. However, losing weight is more difficult than putting it on. Also, research has consistently shown that most people don’t stick to New Year’s resolutions for long and that the additional weight remains.

Why not try a different approach? You can start losing weight and getting fit anytime you want. The calendar doesn’t determine what happens to your body. You do. Start working on it now, and you can avoid putting on the pounds through the holiday season and start the New Year ready to go. Working toward your health and fitness goals in December will have you feeling much better in the long run than a plate of Swedish meatballs with a side order of Christmas cookies. In fact you can do this without worrying about workout regimens and space to work out!

Here are some tips for staying healthy throughout the holiday season

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Get adjusted regularly. If you’re a current chiropractic patient make sure that you are getting in for your adjustments as each adjustment builds on the last to obtain optimum function and health! If you haven’t seen a Chiropractor ever or for a long while you are missing a key component of accessing great health! Chiropractic is the safest from of health care and has been proven to help with many health conditions from headaches, Back, Neck, and Shoulder pain, and even lower blood pressure!

Start with good nutrition! You may be currently striving to get the healthy fruits and greens into your body but even if you’re getting good organic and local foods you will still be missing the mark. Truth is our soil just isn’t what it was 100 years ago and the nutrition in the foods today is not as high as before. You can remedy this by taking Juice Plus.. No where will you find the level of nutrients in this whole food that is available in a capsule! In fact, you will be getting 32 fruits, vegetables, and grains a day that are organic, GMO free, and fully encapsulated! The research on this is so amazing that children’s hospitals are using it in their programs! You can start your day off with this nutrition!

Bring Your Own Food. If you’re doing well nutritionally, you don’t have to stop it just because you’ve been invited to a party where there will be so many foods that don’t fit for you. If you bring a dish that fits into your plan, you know there will be something healthy to eat. Others may appreciate that as well.

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Eat the things that are best first. You know what’s good for you. Eat that first. You know you should eat the veggies and the salads, so go there first. If you leave those until last, after you’ve stuffed yourself with everything else, you probably won’t want the salads and veggies. Reverse the trend. Eat the good stuff first, and get to the other foods afterward. You’ll already be at least partially full, and you won’t want so much of it.

Don’t stand near the munchies. When, you’re standing next to the chips and dip, it’s easy to reach out and indulge. Stand away from the munchies, and you’ll eat less. So, remember, put the tortilla chips down and step away from the dip.

Savor each item. If you eat while you’re chatting a lot, looking at your social media updates, etc., you may not even be aware of how much you’re consuming. Eat slowly and savor every bite. You’ll eat less.

Plan you're shopping, so you avoid the food court at the mall. Between the aromas and the free samples, the vendors are doing their utmost to get you to try something and then to buy something. If you don’t sample what they’re offering or smell it as you walk by, there’s a good chance you’ll avoid indulging.  

Use small plates. If you use a salad or dessert plate for the main meal, you’ll pile a lot less on it. Big plates make portions look smaller, leading to overindulgence. Smaller plates make servings look larger.

Choose your holiday treats with care. Enjoying special foods once in a while may not align perfectly with your plan, but it also won’t pack on the pounds unless you overdo it. Enjoy some of the holiday foods. Just be selective and try not to overdo it.

Don’t go to a party hungry. Eat something that’s good for you ahead of time. If you go to a party hungry, you’ll be that much more tempted to indulge. If you’re not hungry, it will be much easier to pass up tempting foods that don’t fit in with your plan.

Get your exercise wherever and however, you can.

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As I’ve mentioned, travel during the holiday season can disrupt exercise routines. Time for exercise may be hard to find. If that’s the case, fit in a little workout time whenever you can. Multiple ten to fifteen-minute workouts during the day can equate to your normal workout.

If you’re in a hotel, take a walk down to the workout room. There may be machines you haven’t tried before. You might find something that is both enjoyable and effective. If there’s a pool, try swimming several laps.  

Also, there are exercise routines that don’t require much space. Some can be found online or on TV. Even if you’re stuck in a hotel room, there are ways to exercise. Here are a few more tips for getting exercise while traveling.

Use the stairs. Climbing stairs is a great cardio workout. Taking the stairs at the hotel or elsewhere will burn calories.

Walk during your layover. A long layover between flights can be very boring. Fortunately, there’s plenty of room to walk in most airports. Take advantage of that. If you don’t want to lug your carry-ons, put them in a locker for a while.

Walk at rest areas. Many people drive long distances along interstate highways during the holidays. Inevitably, it will be necessary to take a break from time to time to use the restroom, etc. Take advantage of those times to get a walk before you hit the road again. That will burn a few calories and loosen you up for the drive.

Getting help with nutrition and fitness can have a big impact on the life of a person who wants to make some positive changes. If you’d like to find out more about the services offered by Vibrant Life Health Center, including the NutriMost Weight Loss program, call today.

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In this article, I have discussed some of the challenges people face when it comes to diet and exercise throughout the holiday season. I’ve also provided some tips on how to stick with a wellness program through the holiday season.

If you have a comment about this article, please leave it in the comments section below. If you know of someone who might benefit from the information in this blog, please share it with your friends and colleagues, as well as on social media.

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At Vibrant Life, we address all of the key elements to add vibrance and vitality to your life. This includes nutrition, Chiropractic care, and fitness. If you need to consult with a chiropractor about your neck, back, or any other health concern, please contact our office to set up an appointment.

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Vibrant Life Health Center

Dr. Jon Thomas is a Board Certified Chiropractic Physician. His practice, The Vibrant Life Health Center, is located in the Mandarin section of Jacksonville. His interest in health and fitness started early, and his athletic pursuits have included BMX racing, Professional Snow Skiing, Water Skiing, Baseball, Weightlifting, and Martial Arts. After studying and learning from some of the top health experts throughout the world, Dr. Thomas dedicated his life to helping people of all ages to transform their lives. The objective for each patient is to initiate the body’s healing and to work progressively toward a body that functions optimally. Dr. Thomas is regularly seen on TV on First Coast Living, where he discusses the transformations of his patients. He also speaks at events throughout the community and writes informative articles to improve the health of residents throughout Northeast Florida.

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