Despite the chaos of the holidays, experts say that with a little attention year-round health habits do not need to discarded. Photo by Tatjana Baibakova/Adobe Stock/HealthDay News
The holidays can bring travel, busy schedules and family events, and for many people, that means healthy habits slip. But experts say staying well during this time doesn't require perfection.
It's not just the schedule that gets in the way, it's the expectations we put on ourselves, Samantha Harden, an associate professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise at Virginia Tech, said in a news release.
"We expect to have time off and be our 'best selves' when we step back from work and have all the space to create healthy routines," Harden said. "We set ourselves up for failure thinking we'll be swimming in time that is actually usurped with all our other holiday activities -- ones we love and the ones we loathe."
Instead of waiting for the "perfect" moment to restart routines, Harden suggests blending healthy choices into normal holiday activities.
