How to Eat Healthy and Stay Healthy During the Holiday Season

Keeping Healthy

1. Step 1

   Take care of yourself. Getting run down increases your chances of becoming sick. Treat yourself to hot baths, mini-breaks or meditation periods. Or schedule a few hours during the week that are absolutely your time to relax or do something fun.

2. Step 2

   Don't over-commit. Learn to say no when your plate is already full. Simply say that you are busy with holiday-related tasks if someone insists that you help out.

3. Step 3

   Ask for help when you need it. We are so used to juggling projects we forget that we can request assistance. Bounce ideas off a friend for easier ways to do things. Hire a housekeeper for the season to help you keep things clean, or bring in a temporary assistant to do errands.

4. Step 4

   Keep good sleeping habits. Burning the midnight oil can make you more susceptible to sickness, and not enough sleep can cause weight gain. Stick to your regular bedtime and get at least 8 hours per night.

5. Step 5

   Take immediate steps if you feel yourself coming down with a flu or cold. People blow off early symptoms of a bug because they think it will pass and then get sicker than necessary. Start taking over-the-counter medication, drink lots of fluids and rest as needed so your body can fight off the illness.

6. Step 6

   Keep washing your hands. It's cold and flu season, meaning there are more germs than usual around. To wash the appropriate amount of time, keep scrubbing until you finish humming the song "Happy Birthday to You" to yourself.

Eating Healthy

7. Step 1

   Forget about dieting. There is too much pressure during the holidays without adding to the stress by attempting a major change in your habits. If you aren't already on a diet for about 6 weeks before the holidays start, wait until the new year. During the season, instead of trying to diet, make the commitment to take better care of yourself, to eat as healthy as possible and to exercise at least once per week so a good habit will be in place when you start the new year.

8. Step 2

   Lean on someone for support. Designate a friend at the Thanksgiving lunch to encourage you to refrain from seconds. Ask your spouse to join you as a team in not eating too much when you make your rounds to visit relatives.

9. Step 3

   Make healthy food choices whenever you can. Stick to regular meals---don't skip lunch since you have a party to go to at dinner time, or you'll likely binge. Reach for raw vegetables for your appetizers. At buffets, take a small sample from the dishes so you can enjoy the variety without overeating.

10. Step 4

    Bank your calories. For example, at your office Christmas party, you would like to eat shrimp cocktail but you really love the truffle that has been set out for dessert. Either skip the shrimp or limit yourself to two of them so that you can indulge in the truffle.

11. Step 5

    Eat a small, filling meal or snack before you attend dinners. Have an apple and some cheese, a serving of brown rice and veggies, or a granola bar and a piece of fruit an hour beforehand. It will curb the urge to eat too much.

12. Step 6

    Drink eight glasses of water per day. Staying hydrated is good for your overall health and helps control your eating habits.