It is indeed the most wonderful time of the year. Before you wave the white flag and abandon healthy routines until after the New Year, consider these simple steps to help keep your healthy habits on track.

Reframe Your Focus

The holiday includes food, yes. But you need not be all-consumed by thoughts of food to enjoy the festivities. Simply reframing how you view food during the holidays goes a long way toward shifting its power into a more appropriate place. Our dominating posture and focus should be that of worship. Rather than getting twisted up in knots over food, focus instead on being thankful for the present people. Resist the urge to put exercise on the shelf until post-holiday routines return and resolve instead to offer that gift of health as an act of worship. Too much focus give food, well too much focus. Food is simply one blessed part of a much bigger season of magic. Here's a bit of inspiration to help guide you.

Choose Carefully

One of the wisest decisions you can make is to partake in exceptional holiday food. Moderation rules the day, of course, but restricting too much always leads to unhealthy behaviors. Before you eat, survey the selection. Surely, not every food offering is significant to you. Take a moment to ask yourself, what here really matters to me? What will make me feel left out, sad, and restricted if I pass it up? Those foods have a place, and you have the power to choose them. It doesn't mean you have to have twenty-seven of them. Enjoy your holiday food and know that you used intentionality when selecting them.

Team Up

Most things in life are more challenging when we do them alone. Staying true to healthy routines during the holiday season is no exception! Find someone to help strengthen you and check-in for a bit of helpful accountability. I find it beneficial to team up with a trusted, like-minded friend to ask about the 3-Ds – Did I discipline my body? Did I delight my soul? Did I use my mind (intentionality)? There are several helpful articles on the Dashing Dish website to help you build a lifting team.

Shoosh the Shame

Of all the tips today, learning to say no to guilt and shame is the most potent way to enjoy a free and prosperous holiday. Guilt will say, "You blew it." Shame will say, "Just throw in the towel." Don't listen, and certainly disagree. Enjoy these excellent resources to help you overcome guilt and shame during the holidays and long beyond.

Shoosh the Shame!

Break Free From Guilt & Shame

Freedom From Guilt & Shame

Guilt Has No Place at the Table!

Keep Moving

Maintaining an element of normalcy in your diet during the holidays can be challenging, but maintaining movement is an attainable goal for most of us. Keep your body moving. It doesn't have to be rigorous workouts. Look for creative ways to incorporate walks, ice skating, skiing, even playing with the kids into each day. The goal is simply to keep your body moving to evade "starting over" after the holidays. Visit our workouts page on the Dashing Dish website for gobs of guides to a great workout.

I hope all of these tips make it easy for you to enjoy freedom and health this holiday season!