By clicking “Accept,” you agree to the use of cookies and similar technologies on your device as set forth in our Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy. Please note that certain cookies are essential for this website to function properly and do not require user consent to be deployed.

6 Easy Ways to Stay Healthy this Holiday Season

Tips for Staying HealthyHave you ever had the feeling that your body “wants” to keep weight on, despite your attempts to cut calories and exercise like crazy? It isn’t your imagination, its proven science. Your body fights to keep you within a range of about 15 pounds—also known as your “setpoint weight.”

Jonathan Bailor, the author of THE SETPOINT DIET (on sale December 24), offers up some useful tips for keeping your setpoint weight in check and even lowering it during this busy, stressful, food-filled holiday season.

Don’t Be the Last Man Standing

A broken metabolism is like a broken ankle: it heals itself when you put less stress on it. One of the best things you can do to lower your setpoint this holiday season is to leave the work Christmas party at a sensible hour and head home for eight hours of quality sleep.

Your Mother Was Right: Eat Your Veggies!

Calories count, but you don’t need to count them. You need to select quality calories. Non-starchy vegetables like spinach, kale and bok choy are filled with water, fiber and protein, which leave you fuller and less likely to crave starches and sugars. The best thing you can say at the dinner table this holiday season is “Pass the sautéed spinach!”

Eat, Drink and Be Merry

I’m not here to tell you that you can’t enjoy a nice glass of wine or whiskey this holiday season, but if you do it’s especially important to replenish your body with lots of fluid to turbo-charge the fat burning process. Drink over 64 ounces of fluid daily and if water isn’t always appetizing, try green tea, vitamin water, or low-sugar kombucha.

Discover the Perfect 20-Minute Work Out

Even with a busy schedule of work, holiday parties, gift buying, travel and family celebrations, it’s important to find time to exercise but I want to let you in on a secret: much like calories, it’s the quality of exercise you do that matters more than the quantity. Click here to receive a copy of my 20-minute-per-week workout plan.

Keep Calm and Carry On Lowering Your Setpoint!

We like to think that we’re highly evolved human beings but when it comes to fear, stress and Black Friday sales, we are just like our primal ancestors. When chased by a tiger, their bodies became flooded with cortisol which gave them the energy to deal with that short-term stress. The same thing still happens to our bodies all these years later and the holidays can be a particularly stress-inducing time. Lower your setpoint by lowering your cortisol levels. Meditation and getting into nature are two great ways to do this.

Give Yourself the Gift of Gratitude

Studies show that those who practice gratitude daily have fewer doctors’ visits, less stress-related illnesses, stronger relationships and even earn more money. Focusing on the positive things in our lives is something we can all do more of, particularly around the holidays. ‘Tis the season after all!