Almost a week out of one of my favorite holidays, seems to be the perfect time to sit back down in front of my computer and reconnect with my readers! What a better way to do so, than a list of my favorite holiday fit hacks. My goal for this list is to teach you things that you may not know or haven’t yet thought of going into this holiday season. I hope you enjoy! Leave comments below with any feedback, I always love to hear what you think!

Hot water and lemon in the morning and before meals. I am a huge proponent of hot water and lemon at all times of day, but always always always right away when I wake up. Hot water and lemon promotes digestion, getting your system online and ready to work before any meal of the day. Start all meals off with hot water and lemon and give your system a fighting chance. Especially before big holiday meals.

Get your workout in right away in the morning. I’ll admit it, I am THE WORST at motivating myself to workout in the morning. I like that extra hour of sleep just as much as the next person. But around the holidays, morning workouts are a must. The unpredictable nature surrounding family time, different schedules and obligations and changes in weather make the actuality of getting your workout in at night very slim to none.

Discipline with exceptions. I try my hardest to stay away from gluten and dairy throughout the holiday season. That being said, I 100% give myself a pass during holiday meals. The holidays are special for a reason, a lot of which reason is the meal. Don’t let a diet keep you from enjoying a beautiful meal with family and friends. That said, the exception stops with those meals. There are plenty of ways to have leftovers while at the same time avoiding indulgence. Instead of a leftover turkey sandwich, why not a leftover turkey salad? Be creative, I know you can find a way.

Stay Away from sugary beverages. I may have said there are exceptions on holidays for cheat foods, but I personally don’t think that extends to cheat drinks. Sugary drinks serve very little purpose and are a huge source of empty calories. I’ll be sticking to wine, coffee, tea and the occasional champagne toast but that’s the extent of it. Added bonus, the less sugar in your alcohol the more unlikely you are to have a hangover the next day.

Make time to be active with your friends and family. Whether you go for a walk with the dog after dinner or sign up for a Thanksgiving morning 5k, activity with the people you love is a great way to keep yourself accountable.

Water, water and more water. Yes, this one is complete common sense. I am simply reminding you drink water like it’s your job.

Unplug. The holidays are the holidays for a reason. Take advantage of them and unplug from all outside distractions as much as you possibly can. I know it’s impossible in many situations, but simply do your best to make quality time with family and friends a priority over other responsibilities.

Make time to check in with yourself and your emotions. As amazing as the holiday season may be, we have all had those moments when it become a bit too much. Pay attention, listen to your thoughts, acknowledge how your body is feeling in any given situation and make time to be aware of your surroundings and the people around you. I find meditation is a great way to do all of these things at one time, but some will find a yoga practice does the same or simply time by yourself to read, write or just think. Do what works for you and make carving out time for yourself a priority.

Smile. There is tons of literature out there on how important and beneficial a simple smile is on the human body. At the same time, there are also tons of skeptics who think it is all malarky. I am a huge believer.

Be thankful. All of the good and any of the bad that the holidays bring are blessings, we are all lucky to be on this earth to experience them. With all that has been going on around the world, don’t lose sight of how beautiful it is to simply be alive. I am not a religious person, but I am spiritual one, and this holiday season I am beyond grateful for the people I love and the life I am honored to live.