celebrate or bust | how to enjoy multiple feasts over the holidays

i thought about it, and i was all set to hit publish on a last minute gift guide for those of you that, were like me, and didn’t have all of your shopping done by december 1st. but you know what? i’m speaking to one specific girl, and if that girl is like me, she finished up her shopping this weekend and will be spending today noshing + spending time with family. you know what i find even more useful than the stress of finding a gift, last last minute? helpful tips on how to survive the holidays when you have to eat every few hours at another celebration. you see, joey and i both live really close to where we grew up/our families, which means both christmas eve and christmas day we have a total of 6+ celebrations to hit. don’t get me wrong – i am SUPER thankful for this, but it gets hard to eat something at every place you go. i’ve been doing this now for a solid 10+ years, so i think joey and i have worked out a few ways to keep ourselves sane while yet enjoying all of the delish foods.

the night before // morning of:

• get some sleep!: it’s so hard to make good decisions on little sleep. my guess is you are possibly on some sort of vacation from school/work, and while life in general is v. demanding and there’s always something to do, hit the hay early and get your 8 hours. bonus: there WILL be pictures.
• get a workout in: seriously, if you can find the time to wake up and get 30 minutes of exercise in, you are going to feel SO much better all day long. my fave? i walk on our treadmill or do a yoga flow video i

the day of // the main event[s]

• fill up on veggies and water: my mom is always good for a kick-ass veggie tray, and that’s greatly appreciated. fill up on those, and have a large glass/bottle of water with you at all times, and you’ll be certain that you are getting some much needed nutrition in your bod.
• say “no thank you”: this one is hard for me, because i see so many loved ones who show their love through making, baking, and offering food. i’ve learned to say “no thank you, maybe later,” though and that really seems to help.
• pace yourself: joey and i learned this one the hard way after eating way too much at too many family gatherings and feeling miserable the rest of the day. there is good food everywhere you go, so don’t feel like you have to load up on mom’s cheesy bacon dip just because you might not get it elsewhere. plus, there’s always the likelihood someone will send you home with leftovers.
• enjoy yourself: if there was ever a time to practice some self-love and give yourself some grace, it’s the holidays. i’m not saying to go eat things that make you feel terrible or to go against health goals you have, but don’t be too hard on yourself. you can bet you’ll find me near the treat table, and that has NOTHING to do with the fact that i’m 20 weeks prego. 🙂

wishing you a very merry week! thanks for all of the support and love this year … i am incredibly excited for what 2019 has to bring, and appreciate you sharing this journey with me! merry christmas 🙂