Do These 5 Things Right Now for a Healthier Holiday Season

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I’ll only have one small glass of wine at the office holiday party. I’ll still make it to the gym three days a week. I won’t leave gift shopping until the last minute and stress myself out. These are promises plenty of us make to ourselves as the holiday season gets into full swing. And they’re promises most of us will break.

That's because it's easy for healthy intentions to go MIA when a coworker pulls together a last-minute happy hour plan, or you made yourself a way-too-long gift shopping list, or you took on another holiday-related responsibility that's throwing you off your game. 'Tis the season for excess, we know, but striving for balance and maintaining your usual healthy habits during December will also help you avoid starting the new year with a #dietstartstomorrow mentality.

To help you survive the month with your mind and body strong and begin 2018 on the right foot, we rounded up five simple things you can do right now. 

RELATED: 5 Ways to Ease Holiday Stress in 5 Minutes or Less

Buy a pack of gym classes

Dropping some cash ahead of time for a 10-pack of classes or one-month class pass at your favorite fitness studio may be pricey. But knowing that they're already paid for will motivate you to keep up your sweat sessions all season long—because not even a holiday cookie swap can convince you to throw money out the window. Buy them now, and you'll have a few left over to use during the first week of January, so you're inspired to follow through on your New Year's fitness resolution as well.

Get cooking

Chances are you’ll catch up with friends over drinks or brunch this month. Instead of chatting over high-calorie eggs Benedict or cocktails, connect in a setting where healthy food is the focus—like a cooking class. Book a vegetarian class for you and your girlfriend ahead of time, or make a Sunday meal prep date now, so you’ll have nutritious meal options on hand when the holidays close in. Having good-for-you eats already prepped will help make last-minute holiday cookie dough binges less likely.

RELATED: 5 Healthy Baking Swaps You Need to Try

Slim down your holiday dinner

Heading to a festive potluck? Do a little research to find recipes similar to yours that use lower-fat ingredients, Wendy Bazilian, RD, nutritionist and co-author of Eat Clean, Stay Lean, suggested in a prior interview with Health. “Even better, find a version that incorporates some healthy foods that simultaneously bump up the nutrition while reducing extra calories, sugars, or fat.”

A few swap ideas we love: If you’re tasked with bringing dip to a party, substitute protein-rich Greek yogurt for sour cream. Or cook up whipped cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes. Hey, every bit counts.

WATCH THE VIDEO: A 5-Minute Meditation to Help You Find Your Calm Now 

Subscribe to a self-care box

Treat yourself to a subscription box today that will make staying healthy through the holiday season so much easier. Sign on with a meal kit delivery service so you already know you have good-for-you meals covered, or subscribe to a beauty box ($30 for 3 months, birchbox.com) that will tame your stressed-out skin during party season. Being proactive will automatically make you feel like you’re starting December on a high note. Plus, who wants to make a last-minute drugstore run for sparkly eye shadow on New Year's Eve?

Download a meditation app

The holiday season may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also the most hectic, when your usual routine falls by the wayside and family and friends you've avoided all year long come back into your life. Not surprisingly, your mental health can take a hit. To stress less this December, download one of these apps that take you through guided meditations and mindfulness exercises. We have a feeling they’ll come in handy after your family talks politics at the dinner table.

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The One Thing Sabotaging Your Weight-Loss Goals

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When certified nutrition specialist and personal trainer Jay Nixon meets with new clients for the first time, he typically hears the same opening line: “I’ve tried everything to lose weight, but I always gain it back.” And in almost every case, the reason is the same, he says: “They didn’t change anything psychologically."

In his recent book The Overweight Mind, Nixon argues that only about 20% of weight-loss success is mechanical—or what you eat, and how often (and intensely) you exercise. The rest, he believes, is mental: “Getting a handle on [your] mindset is what leads to long-lasting results."

Psychological change might actually feel more daunting than adding an extra serving of veggies to your plate. But Nixon promises it’s easier than you think. In fact, it can be as simple as changing your vocabulary.

There are three short words he wishes everyone would ban when it comes to exercise and diet: can’t, won’t, and don’t. “Those words wrap around everything having to do with people's physical condition, to the point that they don’t even realize they’re saying [them] anymore,” he says. “They don’t have awareness around how often they use these words.”

Using them less often, he says, can have a direct impact on your fitness and weight-loss success. Here, a few examples of how you can flip the script on all that negative talk.

RELATED: How to Trick Your Brain Into Eating Less, According to an Expert in 'Gastrophysics'

"I don't like vegetables"

Nixon has found that in the context of food and fitness, people often say “don’t” because of a negative past experience. For example, if someone says he doesn't like vegetables, it could be because eating kale once made him feel sick. Or if someone says she doesn't run, it may be because she once suffered an injury from running.

When his clients use the word "don't," he reminds them that “old experience doesn’t need to dictate current behavior." Then he helps them take small steps to turn those don'ts into dos. For example, he might encourage the non-runner to simply move as quickly as she can. Odds are, after a few weeks, she'll have naturally picked up the pace.

"I can't do 10 push-ups"

“I get clients to reframe that sentence,” Nixon says. Instead of declaring you can’t do 10 push-ups, remind yourself that you can do 1 push-up. “Every day, reapply it,” he says. So the next day tell yourself, I can do two push-ups, and keep going until you hit your goal.

"I won't wake up early to work out"

People who use “won’t” in a sentence like this have convinced themselves the statement is a fact, says Nixon. But the statement only feels true because of how often the person has repeated it. Again, you need to reframe the thought: Think about what you will try–say, two early mornings a week–and then focus on how to make that behavior stick.

It can help to create a sense of accountability for yourself, Nixon suggests. “I try to get people to form a sort of community,” he explains, whether that means recruiting a workout buddy to meet you at the gym before dawn, or finding a friend on a similar path, who you can share your plans and progress with. Or if prefer to go it alone, start a journal, Nixon suggests. Even writing down what you will do in a journal can keep you honest, he says.

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These reframing tricks will help you stay on track no matter what phrase follows the word "don’t," "can't," or "won’t," Nixon says. No weight-loss journey is perfectly smooth, he points out. “When we hit roadblocks, we always fall back a little bit. But if you’re working on your psychology, you won’t fall as far.”

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How to Actually Stay Healthy This Month—Without Depriving Yourself

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No one expects you to choose kale juice over cocktails at the holiday party. And happily, you can enjoy the occasional treat without sabotaging your goals, says Lisa Powell, RDN, director of nutrition at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona: "The key is a plan that’s flexible." Stay on track through New Year’s with these tips.

1. Keep a planner. “Map out your holiday activities in advance,” says nutritionist Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, so you can decide when you want to indulge.

2. Reframe expectations. Accept that you won’t be able to work out every day this month and commit to a schedule that’s as realistic as possible.

3. Power down early. “You’ll be amazed at how a full night’s rest can help you stick to your health routine all week,” says Rachel Begun, RDN.

4. Brown-bag it. Pack last night’s leftovers for lunch today. “That way you won’t fall victim to extra calories in an ordinary workday restaurant meal,” says Bazilian.

5. Squeeze in a workout. Do one minute of jumping jacks, three minutes of sit-ups, and one minute of pushups, then repeat, says SoulCycle senior master instructor Stacey Griffith.

6. Barre > bar. “Meeting friends for drinks? Make it a sweat party instead,” says celebrity trainer Kira Stokes. Sign your squad up for a fitness class.

7. Beat the buffet. “Humans are wired to eat what’s available,” says Powell. Fill most of your plate with colorful veggies, add a serving of protein, and enjoy the food in another room to avoid grazing.

8. Plank it out. When wrapping gifts, do a one-minute plank between boxes, suggests Stokes. All exercise counts!

9. Cut yourself a break. If you have zero time for fitness, don’t fret. Missing one workout won’t change your body, says Funtensity founder Jonathan Ross.

10. #SundayMealPrep. Roast chopped veggies tossed with seasoning and olive oil at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. “They can be reheated for three to four days,” says Powell.

11. Have water at dinner. Cut out wine for a week and you can shave off 500 to 1,000 calories, says exercise physiologist Jim White, RD.

12. Sweet swap. Observing Hanukkah? Make your latkes with sweet potatoes instead of white spuds for an extra dose of fiber and antioxidants.

13. Climb. Run stairs for five minutes.

14. Count your steps. Don’t have a fancy gadget? You can download a free app like Pacer. Monitoring your daily activity helps keep you accountable.

15. Permission to sip. It’s Friday! Enjoy a glass of your favorite red. It’ll only set you back about 125 calories, and you’ll get a hit of the antioxidant resveratrol.

16. Nosh responsibly. At a cocktail party? Choose shrimp cocktail or stuffed mushrooms, says Bazilian. “Both picks are nourishing and tasty—and for relatively few calories.”

17. Get out. “Exercise shouldn’t feel like drudgery or just be a certain number of reps at the gym,” says Ross. Choose an enlivening activity that can be done in fresh air, like ice skating.

18. Souper Monday. Cook a big batch of soup, like butternut squash or carrot puree, says Powell. Freeze individual servings, then reheat later and add fun toppings.

19. Book a sweat session. Sign up for a nonrefundable class and invite a friend along. “You won’t let down someone you care about. It’s double motivation,” says Griffith.

20. 1-Minute Wednesday. Stokes’s favorite 60-second workout: 20 seconds of squats, 20 seconds of burpees, 20 seconds of mountain climbers. Done.

21. Chill out. Give yourself a break today and recharge for the weekend ahead.

22. Travel smarter. Headed out of town? Pack high-protein snacks so you’re not stuck with airport food.

23. Get fit in the kitchen. Turn the countertop into a barre: With feet parallel, ears over shoulders, and a slight tuck to the tailbone, bend knees to create tension in your thighs. Pulse for 30 seconds.

24. Find your center. Before the festivities begin, try this breathing exercise: Inhale for 10 seconds, hold for 10, and exhale for 10; pause, then repeat.

25. Forget your rules. If you celebrate Christmas, let yourself enjoy it without an ounce of guilt. One day won’t affect your waistline, says Ross.

26. #LegDay. Do 10 chair squats, lowering your butt onto a seat and then driving up through your heels. Sitting and standing fires up your glutes, says Stokes.

27. Take a day off. You’ve earned a rest. Soak it up with some well-deserved self-care. DIY mani-pedis, anyone?

28. Get cooking. Slim down chili by swapping ground beef for lean turkey.

29. Lunge outside. Do walking lunges down the driveway. You’ll strengthen those stems while getting a mood boost from the sunlight.

30. Get sweaty. Do a full workout. The best part, aside from how you’ll feel afterward? There’s a champagne reward tomorrow.

31. Have fun. Ring in 2018 exactly how you want to. (Your resolutions don’t start until tomorrow!)

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Cinnamon Has a Surprising Health Benefit

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This article originally appeared on Time.com.

If you love cinnamon, add an extra shake to your next meal: new research shows that the popular spice boosts metabolism in mouse and human fat cells.

In the new study, published in the journal Metabolism, researchers from the University of Michigan tested the effect of cinnamaldehyde—the essential oil that gives cinnamon its flavor—on fat cells taken from mice, as well as fat cells from four humans.

They found that exposure to cinnamon oil triggered both the mouse and the human cells to start burning calories through a process known as thermogenesis. A closer look showed that the oil increased the activity of several genes, enzymes and proteins that are known to enhance fat metabolism.

Fat cells, also called adipocytes, normally store energy in the form of lipids. From an evolutionary standpoint, that stored energy can be used by the body during periods of food shortage, or converted to heat during colder months.

But in a society where food and heat are relatively plentiful, stored energy often has nowhere to go and can contribute to unwanted weight gain. Study author Jun Wu, research assistant professor at the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute, says that consuming cinnamon on a regular basis may be one way to make fat cells burn some of that energy, rather than storing all of it.

The study looked at cinnamon’s effects on adipocytes directly—not on an actual human bodies—so much more research is needed to know if cinnamon has the same effect in real people and what the implications of increased thermogenesis really are. And while cinnamon is considered safe in quantities normally used in food, Wu says it’s still too early to determine an effective dose.

MORE: Why Cinnamon Is Insanely Good For You

Wu says that a sprinkle of cinnamon here or there may not be enough to show immediate, measurable effects on metabolism. However, “we speculate that you don’t have to eat a large amount of cinnamon all at once,” she says. “If you eat it every day, we suspect there will be a cumulative effect, and that over time you will achieve these benefits.”

This isn’t the first study to suggest that cinnamon may have beneficial effects on the body’s metabolic processes. Other research has found that the spice appears to protect mice against obesity and hyperglycemia, and that it’s associated with lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

Wu says that her team’s research is another piece of evidence in cinnamon’s favor. “After this, I would recommend eating a little more than you do already,” she says. “If you already eat a lot of it, carry on—and if it’s not something you use regularly, it’s a great time to start.”

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