30 Healthy Habits to Try Each Day of December

DECEMBER. IT CAN BE such a complicated month of fitting in all the things we want to do as well as all the things we need to do. When time is tight, the first thing to go is usually taking care of our health and ourselves. This month, keep it simple by doing something healthy every day. Do each activity once, or add a new one on each day so they become cumulative. You get to decide how much you have time for.

1. Embrace seasonal foods.

One of my favorite foods of the holiday season has to be pomegranates. They’re festive, a good source of fiber and a great combination of crunchy and sweet. Pick up POM POMS Fresh Pomegranate Arils and the work is done for you. Toss them in salads, sprinkle them over yogurt or eat them like me – by the spoonful.

2. Set the tone.

Decide what matters to you this month and focus on that, whether it’s time spent with family and friends, quietude or something else. You can decide how you want the month to look rather than being dragged along by other people’s expectations and decisions.

3. Fit in a body weight workout.

No time for the gym? Download Workout here. Workout, which you can do at home, will get your heart rate up, give you a great workout and leave plenty of time to wrap presents.

4. Take a stand.

The average American sits approximately 15 hours each day. It’s no wonder sitting is now being called the “new smoking.” Consider standing for part of your workday when possible. Start small by standing for tasks that you do multiple times throughout the day, such as checking email or returning phone calls. Before ordering a standing desk, I made a homemade one by stacking books on my desk and placing my laptop on top.

5. Store memories.

Find a small jar or keepsake box where your family can record milestone moments, hopes, memories, future goals and more. Tuck it away with holiday decorations and dust it off next year. Each year, enjoy adding new memories and reflecting on years past when you decorate.

6. Heat up the kitchen.

A simple strategy for eating healthier is to cook at home. But let’s face it: During the holidays, cooking is one of the last things we have time for. Enter meal delivery programs that take care of the hard parts. HelloFresh, for example, does the recipe planning, food shopping and ingredient measuring and delivering to your doorstep, leaving time for the fun part – cooking and spending time together! All boxes include recipe cards that are simple, easy to follow and take no more than 30 minutes.

7. Get your morning movement fix.

Sit on the edge of the bed, roll each ankle in both directions and point and flex your toes. Do each movement five times. Next, stand up. Keeping your hands by your side, sit back into a squat. Then, stand back up bringing your arms into the air, rising up onto your toes and reaching as high as you can. Repeat 10 times.

8. Keep portions handy.

If you want a simple strategy for watching your calories this holiday season, use your hands. Keep protein to the size of your palm, grains the size of your fist and eat at least two handfuls of leafy greens every day.

9. Know what you need.

The most important thing you can do to take care of yourself this holiday season is to know what you need. Do you need more sleep? Regular workouts? Time alone? Make sure that no matter what the expectations are or how busy your schedule is, you listen to yourself and create the space and time for what matters to you.

10. Include a vegetable in every meal.

A friend confessed to me last December that the only veggies she managed to eat all month long were the ones served on the crudite tray at the office party. Don’t let that be you. Add vegetables to every meal and you’ll get better nutrition and be less tempted by all the holiday treats.

11. Just dance.

Nothing dissipates crazy-making stress like shaking it off. Hit play on your favorite song, grab a partner or go solo and just dance. At the Mohr house, we have a dance party in the kitchen at least once a week.

12. Steer clear of the food court.

Stash almonds in your purse or car for a great-tasting, convenient, healthy snack. Among nuts, almonds are one of best sources of protein and fiber, which means you will be able to handle that epic shopping trip hunger pang-free.

13. Create a 50/10 hour.

Research shows we have a limited amount of focus before we need to recharge and take a break. Instead of telling yourself that you need to “power through” your day, consider revamping your work style. Spend 50 minutes of concentrated effort on one task every hour, and use the remaining 10 minutes for a mental break. You can use that break to use the restroom, check email or go for a walk. Then, get back to the same (or a new) task at the top of the next hour. By knowing you have a break coming at the end of the 50-minute period, you will be less tempted by distraction, and better able to make progress on the task at hand.

14. Be a morning person.

Exercise will get knocked off the to-do list if it’s not done first thing. Schedule it before anything else happens and walk around wearing confidence and a sense of accomplishment all day long.

15. Develop a strategy.

What’s your trouble zone? Gift buying? Parties out? End-of-year wrap-up at work? Determine and decide how to handle it rather than let it nag away at you. Delegate what you can and do what you must.

16. Front-load your diet.

Before the day gets away from you, be sure you’ve gotten lots of fruits and vegetables by combining several in an on-the-go smoothie. Try blending a 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, 1 banana, 1/2 cup of dark cherries, 1 tablespoon of almond butter, several large handfuls of baby spinach and a bunch of ice. Blend until smooth and enjoy!

17. Take two.

When watching TV, use the commercial breaks as a reminder to get active. For each commercial break, pick a different exercise to do until your show comes back on. Body weight squats, holding plank, stationary lunges or tricep dips are all great ones to try.

18. Go nuts.

If you’re serving nuts at a holiday party, choose pistachios because they are one of the snack nuts with the lowest fat and calorie content. Thirty pistachios are approximately 100 calories. Plus, eating in-shell pistachios may fool you into feeling more full because of the visual reminder of how much you’ve eaten.

19. Breathe.

When things get crazy and you become overwhelmed, take a minute to catch your breath. Sitting down on a chair, feet flat on the floor, breathe in for a count of four saying the words, “I am.” Hold your breath for a count of four. Exhale for another count of four, this time saying the words, “at peace.” Hold your breath for another count of four. Repeat five times.

20. Give the gift of health.

Growing up, we had a family friend who always gifted a case of Texas red grapefruits every Christmas. These days, I love to give (and receive) fruit for Christmas because it’s such a welcome relief to the onslaught of sugar at this time of year. Sweet Scarletts provide 100 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, which is certainly never a bad thing during cold and flu season.

21. Treat yourself.

Hey, who said you only have to buy presents for others? Buy yourself a little something this holiday season too. After all, you can celebrate you in all of your awesomeness, just as much as you can celebrate the rest of us.

22. Focus on presence – not presents.

In this day and age of technology and distraction, sometimes the best gift is someone’s full attention. Make a point to turn off your phone or put it in airplane mode. Enjoy a dinner full of conversation and laughter, while focusing on those you are with.

23. Stay hydrated.

Winter weather can be rough on skin. Hydrate from the inside out by beginning each day with a full glass of water. If the thought of drinking something cold is unappealing, try starting with hot lemon water. Stay hydrated by drinking one glass of water before every meal.

24. Foster conscientious conversation.

Instead of having the same old conversations with your family this holiday, use conversation starters to get more out of the interaction and learn something new about the person you are talking to. Here are a few to try: What’s your favorite place you ever traveled and why? Why did you choose your profession? If you could go to any restaurant in the world right now, where would you go? What is your best holiday memory? When we assume we know everything about the people we see the most, we miss out on the characteristics that really make them unique and special.

25. Unplug in the morning.

Spend 15 minutes in the morning electronic-free. No phone. No computer, iPad or tablet. Just you and the morning. Read, pray, meditate, walk or just enjoy the silence. Create a pace for yourself, rather than letting the rest of the world set it for you.

26. Grab your Halos.

Halos mandarin oranges are a healthy portable snack for just 50 calories a pop. Stash them in your purse or keep them in the office. I like to eat two for an after-dinner treat to keep late-night snacking on less nutritious foods at bay.

27. Conduct a yearly review.

Carve out some time to review the year and think about what the past 12 months have taught you. What were your successes and struggles? What were your favorite moments? Reflecting on the year allows us to gain insight into patterns and habits – and decide how we want to better ourselves moving forward.

28. Sip this.

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of relaxing at night with a drink in your hand. Instead of wine, beer or liquor, consider sipping on a hot herbal tea. You still get to kick back with a drink in your hand, but it won’t interfere with your sleep.

29. Pick a habit: one to choose and one to lose.

Setting New Year’s resolutions is so last year. Instead, consider the things you do (and don’t do) every day. Pick one habit you want to choose to do in 2021, and one habit you want to lose. Then, set out to make those habits happen.

30. Take a walk around the block.

When the end of year and holiday craziness gets the best of you, seek a change of scenery. Carve out 15 minutes today to take a walk around the block. If it feels good and you have more time, do a few more laps.