The dos and don’ts of jumping back into your wellness routine after the holidays

It’s the holiday season and things tend to slow down this time of year — ourselves included.

There’s nothing wrong with taking a (usually much-needed) break to revitalize and indulge in all of the delectable seasonal fare, but eventually, we’ve all got to jump back into our daily routines.

In The Know’s Phoebe Zaslav has got the dos and don’ts on how to transition back into a healthy and normal routine after the holiday fun.

“After the holidays, we all tend to feel out of routine. We might be eating more than usual, we might be drinking more than usual,” Phoebe explained. “And that’s completely normal — but how do you get back on track?”

Below, find out how to jump back into your routine after the holidays.

The Don’ts 

Skip the fad diet this year (and every year).

“Don’t try any fad diets or calorie counting or cutting your calories,” Phoebe said. “One, it’s just going to make you crave the food that you’ve been eating and eventually, you might get sick of this fad diet and just binge the food that you want anyway.”

These types of diets are unsustainable, and what good does it do to deprive yourself of the things you love in the long run?

“Don’t sweat it if you slip up and have a bad meal here or there,” Phoebe said. “Be kind to yourself and let yourself have these things in moderation. That way you won’t be craving them all the time.”

Just enjoy the occasional fix when necessary, then resume your routine as scheduled.

“Don’t go crazy with the workouts,” Phoebe said. “This will only lead to burnout or maybe injury. The most effective thing that you can do for yourself is to jump back into the normal daily workout routine that you have going for you.”

The Dos

“Do wean off the sweets that you’ve been having — the cookies and the pies and the cakes — with high-fiber fruits,” she suggested. “It’s really not good to stop eating sugar cold turkey if you’ve been having it the whole week.”

Your body is going to crave sugar anyway, so Phoebe said to give it healthy, natural sugars instead. Fruits like apples, bananas and berries can help you soothe that aching sugar tooth.

“Drink a lot of water,” Phoebe added. “Water can be your best friend when you’re trying to reset.”

There are plenty of health benefits to drinking more water. The drink aids in hydration, reduces sugar cravings and improves athletic performance, to name a few.

“If water is not your jam, try infusing it with high-fiber fruits,” Phoebe suggested.

Finally, the next time you head to the grocery store, do so mindfully.

“Go to the grocery store with a list and full meals planned out for the week ahead,” Phoebe said. “This will help you avoid getting takeout which is just by nature less healthy than cooking.”

When you plan your meals ahead, you’re able to make more balanced, healthier choices.

If you liked this story, check out this article on the six ways to stop draining habits.

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