An Easy (and Effective) Healthy Holiday Challenge
This is my anti-New Year’s Resolution: A healthy holiday challenge that’s simple, delicious and totally do-able.
It’s that time of year again…
The most wonderful time of the year, duh — but also, when many of us alike sit and wonder how it’s possible to stay healthy throughout the holiday season.
… Especially when there seems to be delicious temptations around every single corner. (That’s one thing I do and don’t miss about working in an office… Free snacks and a related lack of self-control. Ha!)
If there’s one thing I don’t beat myself up over this time of year, though, it’s a little indulging around the holidays.
A bit, at least.
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Let’s chat:
What are some of your biggest health-related holiday challenges?
Hi, Mindless Eater over here… Likely headed for a second helping simply because it’s in front of me and I’m bored.
Sound familiar?
And as a result, doesn’t that shape your New Year’s Resolution in some way, shape or form? I’ve found myself bemoaning a few extra holiday pounds in the past because of this behavior, inevitably bringing on a slew of unappetizing and intimidating diet-based resolutions for the New Year.
This year, though, what if we all just decided to be better to ourselves?
Plain and simple.
And like, right now?
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Here’s a challenge for you:
This holiday season, instead of thinking what you want your New Year’s Resolution to be, why don’t you just start right now?
This is what I’ve been doing:
In the days leading up to festive holiday parties, big family feasts and indulgent traditions, I’ve been replacing a meal a day with some lighter fare, like the smoothie recipe I thought I’d share today. (For me, that meal is usually breakfast.)
It doesn’t have to be super fancy or jam-packed with a ton of health store-quality add-ons. Just keep it light, nutritious and liquid-based (if you’re following my lead).
That’s really it:
Simply be better to yourself — and to your digestive system — by diving into the holiday season with a resolution of instilling a healthier lifestyle.
*Shop: Oversized cable-knit sweater
Make sense? Totally do-able, right?
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Today’s pineapple-coconut creation first came to fruition (see what I did there?) over the last month, when I was ramping up my meal-replacement-a-day habit and experimenting with the many varietals of Drink Chobani.
If you didn’t know, I’ve been working with Chobani over the last several months, testing out their new flavors and experimenting with different ways to enjoy them. (Here’s a recipe I created for easy overnight oats using their strawberry banana-flavored beverage as a base last month.
Some other examples include this post on “how to have a summer body” and a fun story behind which flavor I brought to a recent road-trip to an apple farm.
It’s a good snack on its own, of course, but also works well as a base for other meals.
More often than not, I’ve been blending these nutrient-packed Drink Chobani yogurt beverages with other fruits and healthy add-ons for a quick, protein-rich snack or mini-meal, as shown in today’s recipe. Reason being, they’re quick-and-easy ways to curb your cravings — without any of those processed extras or added calories. Easy to grab-and-go, too, which I know you can relate to.
A perfect palette cleanse amid an otherwise meal-heavy holiday season, indeed…
If you’re new to the smoothie game, it’s pretty easy (and inexpensive) to get involved):
I have two blenders, this one and this one — the latter of which (called the Nutribullet) I use more often because it’s smaller and easier to clean. When I’m ready to upgrade, I’m going to get a Vitamix — a refurbished one like this so that it’s less expensive. If I had infinite income, though, you can bed I’d be investing in this rose gold KithenAid stunner… Le sigh. What a beaut!
… Anyway, I hope that helps for those who might need the info.
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As for today’s specific fruit-flavored deliciousness, I simply blended the Drink Chobani Pineapple Coconut beverage with a frozen banana, chia seeds, spinach and collagen peptides.
(I use a frozen banana instead of ice cubes — it helps to peel it before you put it in the fridge, as I’ve learned the hard way in years’ past.)
I like to add some fresh pineapple and coconut flakes as a topper, but that’s the beauty of this simple, snack-sized beverage — you can customize it to your heart’s (or stomach’s) desire.
What are some of your healthy holiday hacks and go-to recipes? Would you be down to try my meal-replacement-a-day with something like this leading up to the holidays? Feel free to share in the comments below (and ask any questions, of course, too).
Be good to yourself this holiday season, friends. And don’t forget to indulge!
*Plaid cape details from this post
*Teal-colored sweater details from this post
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Iron & Honey Photography
