We all love the holidays, the parties, the wonderful traditions, and of course all that delicious calorie laden food. The holidays are one of the most challenging times of the year to stay fit and healthy. However, with a little planning and some discipline you can navigate all of those party trays, sugary deserts and still keep your waistline in check. This week we have all the best tips and tricks to help you stay fit and happy during your Topsail Island holiday vacation.  

Get in the right mindset  

Create a healthy relationship with food

Food is everywhere during the holidays. Even the Christmas tree has candy canes! So how do you enjoy some of those holiday treats without over doing it? There are several things you can do, but the most important thing you need to do is to create a healthy relationship with your food. This means you need to look at your portion sizes, frequency of eating, and of course what you are eating. Don't forget Topsail Island is loaded with great seafood places and seafood is some of the healthiest choices on any menu. 

Don't overlook your mental health

For most of us the holidays are a wonderful time of year. However, it is well established that the holidays are also a time of enormous stress. When one combines the financial stress, family commitments and work, it is no wonder this is a time of year that for many of us means only one thing "more stress"!  There are simple things you can do to help stay in a stress free and happy mood. Try Yoga, or meditation both of which have been proven to help relieve stress and rejuvinate. 

Bodies in motion stay in motion

All the latest studies show that sitting is one of the worst things you can do for your health. This holiday season it is time to get moving. Get a Fitbit or Apple Watch to help count steps. Make sure to get up every so often from your desk. You can do a few air squats or talk a lap around the office to keep the blood moving. Forget the elevator, taking the stairs burns a lot of calories. Of course, nothing beats having a consistent workout routine. It doesn't need to be anything special, but 30 minutes a day four to five times a week should be your goal. 

Make your favorite recipes healthier

We all have those things we love but know are bad for us. Maybe it is the cheeseburger or pizza. Now is the time to look at ways to make little changes that can save fat and calories in your diet. Grill, don't fry. Try different flours like cauliflower to make your pizza more healthy. There are a lot of little things that can add flavor and reduce calories in your diet. 

Get a group together

There's a reason group exercise classes and activities are so popular. If the idea of grinding out mile after mile alone on an old treadmill is nothing, if not a nightmare, then we have an idea for you. Get a group together! Whether you want to gather a few times a week to go for a walk or maybe a get together to trade healthy recipes. No matter what, if you have a circle of friends to exercise with and have common goals with,  you'll be more likely to stick with your routine. 

Make a habit 

Many of us have bad habits. We start out day with a Diet Coke or a sugar laden coffee. It seems picking up bad habits is a whole lot easier then picking up good ones. This holiday season try starting one good habit. Make it an easy one like parking as far away from the grocery store as possible to get those extra steps in each day or promise yourself to have one piece of fresh fruit a day. Small habit can make big changes. 

Now that you have all the tips and tricks to stay in shape the only thing you need to complete your holiday is to book a Topsail Island beach vacation. Luckily there is still plenty of time to book a vacation home for Thanksgiving, Christmas or even New Years. Give us a call today at 800-497-5463 or click the button below to book your getaway today.