10 Tips to Manage Diet, Exercise, and Stress This Holiday Season
The holidays are magical but can also bring a lot of stress, from packed schedules to the pressure of indulgent treats and busy social gatherings.
This time of year can be especially overwhelming if you’re trying to maintain a balance of diet, exercise, and stress management when TTC or having IVF.
So we’ve written a blog on how to manage diet, exercise, and stress, staying mindful and healthy throughout the season.
We’ll cover simple strategies to manage holiday stress, keep active, eat well, and protect your peace, giving you simple tips and small, practical adjustments to help you enjoy the holidays while prioritising your health and well-being.
We hope it’s useful! And if you have any of your own tips, please send us a DM on Instagram!
Tip 1: Set good intentions
It’s only natural (and expected!) that healthy eating and exercise goals grind to a halt while social calendars fill up during the festive season, and instead stress and anxiety rise.
And if you’re TTC or having IVF, this can only add to the challenges and stresses of the holiday season.
Even if you try to be the optimistic and upbeat, a lot of our patients and followers say they find this time of year challenging and often sad. We have a series of posts coming up on how to “survive” the holiday season – so stay tuned for that!
But in the meantime, we can’t change the fact Christmas is for children and there are constant family reminders around us, but we can set intentions, and try out new healthy habits to decrease stress and increase relaxation.
We hope the next few days inspires you to feel more positive about the next few weeks…
Tip 2: Savor, don’t overdo: navigating holiday treats
The holidays are a time of indulgence, with sweets, cocktails, and treats around every corner.
Enjoying a few favourites is fine, but too much sugar and alcohol can leave you feeling drained, bloated, and mentally stressed.
Instead of banning treats, try savouring smaller portions of your favourites and focus on quality over quantity.
Balance alcohol with sparkling water or mocktails to stay hydrated and prevent overindulgence.
But…. If you’re avoiding alcohol this holiday season, you’re in good company! Gone are the days when skipping alcohol raised eyebrows – more people than ever are embracing alcohol-free options, whether it’s for health, wellness, or just personal preference.
The shift toward alcohol-free living means there are now tons of great options to try…
Good low or no alcohol wines used to be hard to come by, but you can hunt down great versions of 0% sparkling wine in supermarkets these days and Amie Wine has created the holy grail: a 0.5% ABV rosé wine to enjoy at any time of year.
If you’re a fan of Aperol, check out Punchy Drinks canned Blood Orange, Bitters and Cardamom. If you need a G&T alternative, try 0% Tanqueray Gin or Clean Co.
For NYE, if you still want to feel like you’re joining in with the cocktail fun, check out all the mocktails you can make with Lyres spirits.
And if you’re looking for a low alcohol lager or IPA option, point them towards The Small Beer Company.
Being mindful of what and how much you’re consuming helps you stay in control and keeps you feeling your best through the season. This way, you can still enjoy holiday flavours without the post-party sluggishness.
Tip 3: Fuel your day with protein
Holiday meals and party food is often carb-heavy, leaving you feeling full but low on energy soon after.
Including high-quality protein like lean meats, beans, eggs, and nuts in your meals can stabilise blood sugar levels, reduce sugar cravings, and keep you full longer.
Even picking the right foods before you indulge in an alcoholic drink or two can help control hunger, balance electrolytes, and decrease some of the adverse effects associated with alcohol. Pro tip: have a handful of nuts with a glass of wine and you’ll thank us in the morning 😉
This small change can make a huge difference, supporting both your body and mind through all the holiday busyness.
Fuel up on the right foods, and you’ll feel ready to handle anything the holidays bring your way.
Tip 4: Sleep: your secret holiday superpower
Travelling all over the country and staying in relatives guest rooms, is never going to help with your sleep. And the bad news is that poor sleep can throw off the natural cycles in a woman’s body, including ovulation.
While it’s tempting to stay up for all the fun, prioritising 7-8 hours of rest strengthens your immune system, boosts your mood, and supports your body’s ability to manage stress.
Do what you can to maximise your sleep both in the run up and during the festive season. Limit the number of late nights per week, switch off Netflix an hour earlier, read a book and leave your phone in another room at night!
If you’re travelling, consider bringing along a sleep mask or earplugs to make sleep more restful.
Remember the great mantra; the bedroom should only be used for sleeping and sex.
Tip 5: Move a little, feel a lot better
When schedules get packed, and the days are shorter, it’s easy to let exercise slide, but staying active helps manage stress and keeps your energy levels up.
Don’t worry about intense workouts, it doesn’t have to be a spin class; a 30-minute walk around the block or an online workout can keep stress at bay, get those endorphins pumping and boost your positive mood.
Look for ways to incorporate activity into your day – walk instead of drive or take the stairs. Staying active supports both your body and mind, making holiday stress easier to manage.
If you’re concerned about how exercise affects your fertility or IVF, opt for more low-impact and moderate intensity workouts like yoga or Pilates. We have a great article about this – see here.
And remember; you’ll never regret a workout.
Tip 6: Self-care: give yourself some TLC
It’s called “the most wonderful time of the year”. But between buying gifts, all the travelling, parties, trying not to break your healthy habits (or the bank), and attending family gatherings, it can also be the most stressful time of the year.
So, it’s just as important to look after your mental health as it is to look after your physical health.
Pick a time every day to check in with how and what you are feeling. Anxious? Feeling depressed? Nervous butterflies? Tired? Then have an honest conversation with yourself about what you need.
Maybe it’s time to put away the ovulation calculator and have a healthy snack, short nap, exercise break or five minutes of quiet breathing to clear your head.
Self-care could be as simple as taking a few deep breaths, going for a walk, journaling, or enjoying a hot cup of tea.
Prioritising your well-being helps you show up fully for others and for yourself. Self-care could even become the best gift you can give yourself.
Tip 7: You don’t have to do it alone
The holidays can bring joy, but they can also feel lonely or overwhelming, and spending time with family and friends over the holidays is lovely, but it’s also a daunting prospect having to dodge the questions about pregnancy or babies.
If you do decide to tell your friends and family, you might want to consider putting a few boundaries in place, for example, “I wanted to tell you we’re trying to get pregnant, it’s not been easy and I’m not ready to talk about it right now, but I just wanted you to know.”
Choose the people you confide in, make sure they know when they can talk about it and who to, but this will undoubtably help the whole experience if someone else knows that you trust.
But here’s our biggest tip of all: you don’t owe anyone an explanation.
Tip 8: Fuel up with foods that keep you going
The holiday rush often leads to quick snacks or missed meals, but balanced meals can keep your energy steady and reduce stress.
Try to include protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats in your meals to feel full and energised for longer.
Protein-rich snacks are also ideal if you’re on the go and need something that won’t spike your blood sugar. Try adding options like Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, or a handful of nuts between meals to keep your energy steady.
Eating mindfully, savouring each bite, and not skipping meals to “make room” for holiday treats will help you stay grounded.
Tip 9: Take a breather: simple ways to relax
Holiday stress can leave you feeling frazzled, so it’s helpful to have a go-to relaxation technique.
Whether it’s deep breathing, yoga, meditation, or a five-minute “mindfulness break,” simple practices can calm your mind and body.
Listening to your favourite music, doing a short yin yoga session, or taking a walk outside can all bring a sense of calm. Relaxation recharges you, allowing you to handle holiday demands with more ease.
The wonderful Laura Wilkes wrote an article on “Supporting your nervous system through fertility treatment” and you can even join her for a free online Yin Yoga class – see here.
Tip 10: It’s OK to say ‘no’ to protect your peace
The holidays are a busy time filled with parties and family get-togethers. Don’t feel pressured to go to every party if you don’t want to. This now the time for self-care. Think about that you like doing, and treat yourselves.
Some people choose this time when a family is all gathered to share news such as pregnancy announcements. And this can be particularly triggering if you’re TTC.
Even at times of feeling low (after a friend makes a pregnancy announcement or you see pictures on social media of a new baby) taking a time out to think about the things in your life for which you are grateful will bring you back into the light.
Don’t be afraid to lay low and cancel plans or decline invites. We know from experience it can be especially hard to be around children at this time of year. Be kind to yourself and put you first!
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