For many of us, the holidays are a time when life gets a little crazier than usual. Gatherings every weekend, sugary foods left, right and center and excess alcohol. Here are my 5 top tips for getting through this holiday season without feeling fat and tired.

1. Start each day with a quality meal. Making sure your first meal of the day is full of quality protein, fat and as many vegetables you can tolerate will help stabilize your hormones and prevent sugar crashes later in the day. This will also prevent you from indulging in the candy cane bowl at work. Need a bit of a challenge to make a change? Try my 30 Day Breakfast Challenge here.

2. Drink enough water. We forget how dry the air can be in the winter and we may find ourselves dehydrated but think we are hungry. Before you eat in the morning, drink at least 12 ounces of water. In between every alcoholic drink you enjoy, drink a glass of water. Before every meal, drink a glass of water. Staying hydrated will ensure you feel well and may help prevent you from overeating (and over drinking).

3. Prioritize exercise. Schedule your gym time or make a date with your friend to hold yourself accountable. Even if your workout simply consists of a few pushups and squats first thing in the morning, it is better than nothing! Download my #NoExcuses December Workout Challenge calendar below. Working out seems to make us want to make better food choices and keeps us feeling good while relieving some of that holiday stress.

4. Get to bed on time! When you can, of course. Around the holidays we seem to have a few more late nights. If possible, schedule less commitments at the end of the day so you can hit the hay on time. Sleep aids such as valerian root, chamomile tea or magnesium might help you fall asleep faster and deeper as well as recover from your strenuous day. At Lifemark Nature Park Way we carry a supplement called Best Rest Formula, which is awesome for getting you to sleep faster and getting the most out of your zzz’s. Metagenics has a similar version called MyoCalm Plus that you can purchase on my online store here.

5. Follow a one treat/bite rule. After you eat your first plate of healthy choices (with plenty of protein and quality fat) at the holiday party, choose one treat to eat or drink and savor it! Hoping to try a few of your favorites? Follow the one bite rule. One bite per treat. Give yourself a minimum of 20 minutes to really let the food settle in and to decide if you truly need more food. Keep your drinks basic and less damaging: wine, cider or vodka/tequila with water.

I hope these tips help get you through the holidays feeling a bit better than last year and not desperate for drastic New Year’s resolutions. How are you going to get through your holidays?