5 Ways to Maintain Your Health and Fitness Goals This Holiday Season

This post was sponsored by Optimum Nutrition as part of an Influencer Activation and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Everyone knows that surviving the holidays can be a struggle. In order to get through the stressful weeks ahead, it helps to be in your best health. In fact, watching what I eat and keeping active all year long is important to me so that when the holiday season (and all the great food!) sneaks up on me, I am prepared.

This year, I'm determined more than ever to get back into my fitness routine again and being conscious of the foods I eat. Since the holidays are quickly approaching, I thought it would be a perfect time to talk about how we can maintain our health and fitness goals in one of the busiest times of the year!

Here are 5 ways to maintain your health and fitness goals during the holiday season!

1. Don't get stressed. Now is the time to practice some healthy habits since the holidays can turn into a plethora of aggravations. Whether it's large shopping crowds, heavy traffic, or overly chatty family members that cause annoyances, you may find yourself wanting to indulge in comfort foods. The good news is, if you are currently working on an exercise program, you are already helping to lower your stress levels. You should also try adding a relaxing activity to your daily routine such as meditation, listening to soft music, or simply taking some time for yourself.

2. Keep to a workout routine - or begin one. Exercise and eating healthy is the best way to keep your weight in control, so as you continue to work out everything you put in your body affects your energy level. The idea of exercise is not easy for everyone. There are many factors like not being motivated enough or don't have enough time to stick to a routine that can put people off. Or it may even just be finding the time to start exercising that can help get people started. Either way, having a routine for whenever the time is right could be enough motivation.

My morning routine works great for me because about one hour after breakfast I do my workout to kick off the day. I love the energy it gives me to tackle my busy schedule.

3. Keep everything in moderation. The holiday season is always a time when all of our favorite foods are everywhere and cookies, pies, and all those yummy casseroles begin calling your name. These can steer you away from your healthy food plan so eat these items in moderation. Healthy snacking can help especially if your snacks are perfectly portioned like the new Optimum Nutrition Protein Almonds, Cake Bites and Protein Crisp Bars. You can pick them up at Walmart at their everyday low prices and stock up for the holidays! The best part is that they are ready-to-eat and easily packaged for when you are on the go.

The Optimum Nutrition Protein Crisp Bars have 20g of protein and help keep you fuller. They are low in fat and are a good source of caIcium and potassium. I love the Protein Crisps- they don't taste like a protein bar, but more like a dessert. And the Cake Bites? They're like a little taste of sweetness without the guilt. These yummy coated bites have 20g of protein inside a whipped cake-like center and have 3 pieces in each pack so it's the perfect portion size!

Don't forget to try the Optimum Nutrition Protein Almonds in Dark Chocolate for an anytime snack option to help fight the munchies and keep off unwanted pounds. They are perfectly portioned and come in a resealable bag with 3 servings per package. I love adding them in my salads and in my homemade sweet and salty snack mix for the afternoon snack cravings. There is no excuse for not reaching your fitness goals when you have such high-quality snacks like the Optimum Nutrition products.

4. Get good sleep. When you are getting an adequate amount of sleep then chances are your immune system is stronger. Do your best to get enough sleep before, during, and after the holidays to increase your chances of staying healthy.
When you are in a solid fitness routine it makes it that much easier to stay on track and sleep will come naturally.

5. Drink lots of water. This holiday season there will sure to be several cocktail parties and if you are like me, you'll want to have a drink or two. Make sure you have a glass of water in between cocktails to not only help a potential headache the next day, but to help keep you fuller. WIth all the fun, party foods around it's almost impossible to indulge a little. If you decide to have a few drinks the best bet is a vodka tonic or a glass of wine. Again, everything in moderation.

Remember that the holidays are all about spending time with the ones you love and a few days of indulging over the holidays isn't going to ruin your diet. Keep stocked up with healthy snacks including Optimum Nutrition products that you can pick up at Walmart anytime. With nutritious snacking and consistent exercising, the holidays will be a breeze.