The holidays are fast approaching and with it, quite possibly, some trepidation about how it is all going to go. Maybe a little anxiety, a little stress and maybe you just kiss goodbye any of the good intentions you had for 2015 and your own health. But, your good intentions for 2015 don’t all have to be flushed down the toilet. With a few simple tips, you can keep your sanity and maybe even your waistline this holiday season while also still giving yourself a chance to indulge. Sound good? Sound too good to be true? It isn’t, I believe in simple and I believe in chocolate, so let’s see how we can bring this all together:

1. Eat Breakfast with Protein AND Fat

First and foremost, your best bet for staying sane day in and day out through the holidays is with balanced blood sugar. The most critical decision in managing your blood sugar for the day happens with this first meal. Fruit loaded smoothie and coffee? I hope you are ready for an intense day because you just stepped on a roller coaster. Veggie omelet or breakfast skillet? You have opted for the gentle carousel. Getting in some high-quality proteins and fats slows the absorption of the sugars in your meal and therefore sets you up for a much smoother day overall.

To kickstart your day use some pastured eggs, clean breakfast sausage or even consider making breakfast soup! (My latest favorite go-to for the morning hustle.) To incorporate more fat, eat ½ an avocado with lemon or lime and sea salt, or add a spoon of coconut oil to your tea. (Try it before you knock it! You might be surprised!) With a balance of protein and fat you will have more even energy, smooth moods, less cravings and great focus all day long.

2. Slow Down at the Table

One of the best components of the holidays is the amazing food we get to eat during this time. Some of these dishes only grace our tables once a year, so enjoy them! Take a moment and enjoy the beauty on your plate, take in the colors, textures and smells. With each bite, see if you can pick out the flavors one by one. Feel the textures on your tongue and stay completely present while you chew, chew, chew. When you do this, you will slow down, you will feel more satisfied and you will fill up quicker.

When heading out to a holiday gathering, keep these principles in mind. Choose your indulgences mindfully and take the time to fully taste and experience them. If you give yourself this chance, you won’t feel the need to eat all the things, but will be able to enjoy a few treats and walk away from the rest without having to exercise huge amounts of will-power. The key is to allow yourself to be fully present and enjoy the food, the company and the festivities of the season.

3. Incorporate Minerals   

There is so much that can be said about minerals, but I will keep this short and sweet today. As I wrote before, Magnesium is the Stress-Less Mineral and a regular standby in my routine. With holidays, comes stress and it is best to just arm yourself with some additional supports to help you manage them better. Take some magnesium in the evenings before bed and if you are already doing that, consider adding a morning dose during the holidays. Stress and sugar burn through magnesium, so taking extra now for a few weeks will only benefit you. (1 piece of good quality dark chocolate can have up to 95mg of magnesium in it.  You are welcome.)

Make sole (sol-ay) and incorporate it into your morning routine. What is sole? A balanced multi-mineral supplement that you can make at home! This is an easy and cost-effective way to get a wide variety of minerals into your daily routine and to help nourish those oh-so-tired adrenals during the holiday hustle and bustle.

Sole supports hydration, energy, digestion, blood sugar, detoxification, bone health, muscle cramps and so much more. By allowing the Himalayan sea salt to saturate the water, it creates a new energy that is then held in your body for 24 hours. Give it a try and see if it makes a difference for you:

• Take a jar (I use a pint jar) and fill the bottom 1-1.5 inches with sea salt (ideally Himalayan for this and it can be fine grind or rock crystals).

• Fill the remaining jar with filtered water (no chlorine).

• Allow the jar to sit overnight and up to 24 hours to allow the salt to dissolve and saturate the water. If after 24 hours you still have salt on the bottom of the jar, the sole is done! The water is fully saturated with minerals and ready for you to use. If no salt is left in the bottom of the jar, add more until you do have a layer of salt sitting on the bottom.

• Take 1t of sole in your first glass of water each morning on an empty stomach.

To read more about sole check out this post or this one.

With an infusion of minerals, a great breakfast and bringing mindfulness back to the table, your body is better able to handle the stressors of the day, you are less likely to experience intense cravings and you will have more energy. These are some simple ways to better navigate the holidays and who doesn’t like simple?

What do you think?  How do you navigate the holidays?  I’d love to hear from you!