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5 Essentials for a Healthy Holiday Season

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Stay on track this Christmas! Check out my 5 Essentials for a Healthy Holiday Season and get two great recipes from the Move Over Sugar eBook!

Disclosure: I received free Lorna Jane products in exchange for a blog post
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Hello fitness friends! It’s December already  – Christmas is getting near! The holidays can be an amazing time of sharing fun and food with family and people we love, but these days can also be a time of skipped workouts and over-eating. Holiday over-indulgence can cause not only weight gain but also disrupted sleep patterns, added stress, and feelings of guilt over holiday eating patterns. Don’t let these things get in the way of enjoying your holiday!

If you are determined to breeze through your holiday healthy and stress-free (and even in better shape!), then it’s essential to create a plan for yourself ahead of time. In partnership with Lorna Jane and Fit Approach, here are my top 5 essentials for a fit and healthy holiday season.

Lorna Jane Fit List

1. Add some variety to your diet by trying new foods and recipes

Healthy eating is always easier when you have lots of variety and fun foods to choose from. The Homemade Chai Spice Mix recipe above is from The Move Over Sugar eBook from Lorna Jane and it adds loads of flavor to your cooking and baking without adding sugar.

The Move Over Sugar eBook from Lorna Jane is free and it’s loaded with fantastic recipes like the Hot Chocolate Smoothie and Chicken and Vegetable Lasagna. Plus, it has great tips on how to break your sugar habit for good. I made another recipe from the eBook, the Mango Coconut Chia Pudding, which was delicious!

Get your copy of the Move Over Sugar eBook and discover some new recipes to try – they are all healthy and delicious! You can also find more healthy recipes over at Move Nourish Believe  (Lorna Jane’s healthy living website).

Move Over Sugar eBook from Lorna Jane - FitBetty.com

Mango Coconut Chia Pudding from the Move Over Sugar eBook – yummy! Scroll to the bottom of the post for some recipes from the ebook!

Mango Coconut Chia Pudding - FitBetty.com

2. Gift Yourself some fun workout clothes

Think of this as a Christmas present to yourself: some nice workout clothes! As women, we like to look nice and working out is no exception. Sometimes buying yourself a little something special for your workouts (like new headphones or a new sports bra) can go a long way in making workouts more enjoyable.

And enjoying your workouts is a key ingredient to keeping active all year long! Lorna Jane sent me some new workout clothes that I LOVE!

My Holiday Fit List: 5 Essentials for A Healthy Holiday Season - FitBetty.com Lorna Jane sent me the Metric sports bra, Varsity Zip Through top, and the Never Give Up Flashdance pants

3. Set goals and challenge yourself

Setting goals is very important when it comes to staying on track during the holidays. Get a nice fitness journal to write down your goals and track your progress. Find some challenges to participate in to stay accountable. I joined 2 fitness challenges on ChallengeLoop for December to keep me moving daily throughout the month of December.

Another great challenge to check out is the Muscle Ropes Giant Jump Rope Challenge. It’s tough but worth trying if you want your booty kicked! You can find other challenges to participate in on Diet Bet, KickStarter, EarndIt, and other fitness communities.

4. Stay hydrated!

Dehydration can account for many negatives: headaches, constipation, muscle aches, fatigue, and more, so make sure that you drink plenty of water throughout the day. Coffee, tea, and other calorie-free drinks are good, but nothing beats pure water. In fact, some researchers believe that water itself is an essential nutrient. If you get bored with plain water, just jazz up your water with some fruit so you don’t get bored.

5. Don’t forget to take a time out and have some fun!

Remember to set aside time to relax and enjoy your time with family and friends over the holiday season. Spend some time each day de-stressing, connecting with others, savoring the season, and indulging in moderation. Time flies fast, so make the most of it and remember to play and enjoy your life.

Now for the recipes!

Here are the recipes for Chai Spice Mix and the Mango & Coconut Chia Pudding from the Lorna Jane Move Over Sugar eBook!

Mango and Coconut Chia Pudding

Gluten free, paleo, vegan; Free of: dairy, eggs, peanuts, soy
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts, Snacks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chia pudding, coconut chia pudding, mango chia pudding
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chill time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 368kcal
Author: Recipe from the Move Over Sugar ebook from Lorna Jane

Ingredients

  • 14 ounce can of coconut milk
  • 1 ½ cups frozen mango chunks
  • ½ cup white chia seeds
  • Toppings of your choice (strawberries, figs, nuts, etc.)

Instructions

  • Combine coconut milk and mango in a blender until smooth. Mix in chia seeds.
  • Evenly divide between 4 jars or ramekins, refrigerate overnight. 
  • The next morning, top with fruits and nuts. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 451mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 25.7mg | Calcium: 157mg | Iron: 3.4mg
Did you make this recipe?Share a photo on Instagram and tag us @TheFitCookie!

Homemade Chai Spice Mix (Photo from the Move Over Sugar ebook)

Homemade Chai Spice Mix

Gluten free, vegan, paleo. Free of: nuts, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: chai spice mix, homemade chai spice
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 11kcal
Author: Recipe from Lorna Jane’s Move Over Sugar ebook

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon cardamom pods
  • 3 star anise
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon ground coriander

Instructions

  • Grind cardamom pods, anise, and cloves in a mortar and pestle. 
  • Transfer to a small airtight container and mix in the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and coriander. Mix well and store in a dark place.
  • Mix 1-2 teaspoons spice blend (depending on your preference) and 1 cup almondmilk or other non-dairy milk. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 11kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Did you make this recipe?Share a photo on Instagram and tag us @TheFitCookie!

Recipes and photos shared with permission from Lorna Jane

14 thoughts on “5 Essentials for a Healthy Holiday Season”

  1. Great tips.

    I’ve already purchased workout clothes for myself (that I’ll be opening on Christmas and acting surprised) AND I’ve signed up for some exercise challenges to keep me moving during the holiday season.

    Now, I just need to work on finding and trying some fun new holiday recipes!

    Reply

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