Aaaah, the holidays. Here they come, bringing cherished moments with family and friends, cozy days spent inside, soul-warming meals, and cookies. So many cookies. When you’re trying to stay on the right track with your diet, the holiday season can be a challenging time. But just because it’s sweater weather doesn’t mean you can let go of all of the progress you’ve made since last year. You’ll feel better if you hold on to some of those healthy habits, and you can still let yourself enjoy the bounty of the season.

We get that the holiday diet struggle is real. And we’ve got your back. Here are some tips to help you avoid falling off a diet cliff this holiday season.

Don’t Skip Breakfast

It can be tempting to skip breakfast on days when you know you’ll be eating a lot later in the day, like Thanksgiving or Christmas. But this can throw your metabolism into a spin, and you’ll be much more likely to overindulge if you show up to a feast ravenous. Stick with your healthy breakfast schedule and try to keep up with eating a few small meals a day. This will help you maintain steady energy levels, and will prevent you from overindulging when feast time arrives.
 

Keep a Handle on Stress

Honestly, we don’t know a single person who doesn’t get a little stressed out during the holiday season. There are so many activities to get to, so many gifts to buy, so much traffic, and a million little (albeit joyful) things that seem to fill up your days. Stress can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep and keep up with your healthy routine. And you know what that leads to? Stress eating. This year, do your best to keep stress from messing with your good cheer. Try meditation, take an extra walk around the block, schedule time to talk with a good friend, or just pause for a few cleansing breaths when things start to feel out of control.

Stay Moving

With cooler weather and busier days setting in, it can be easy to fall out of your exercise routine. But it’s so important to keep your body moving so that you can stay on track with your weight loss goals. This is a good time to try switching up your workout so that things stay fresh and you stay motivated. Maybe take a walk to enjoy the fall foliage or the holiday decorations around the neighborhood. Or challenge all of the little cousins (and Uncle Charlie) to a dance off. Set up a family football game or relay race before the big meal. However you choose to stay moving, keeping up with your exercise will help you better manage holiday stress and keep the pumpkin pie pounds at bay.

Enjoy the Heck Out of It!

The holidays are a special time of year, and you can enjoy every food on the buffet table if you do it wisely. Stick with small portions, and allow yourself to cheat a little. Holiday foods are not only delicious, but many are also traditional treats that have sentimental value and can only be enjoyed at this time of year. This year, keep your favorites off the naughty list. Don’t pass on a little slice of grandma’s fruit cake (if that’s your thing…no judgment from us). Let yourself have a small glass of eggnog. And savor every (small) bite: eat slowly and be mindful of each scrumptious taste and texture so that you feel satisfied and fulfilled.