Simple tips from experts for navigating stress and unhealthy habits during holiday travel

The holiday season is a time for celebrations, gift-giving, and holiday travel. Still, it can also bring added stress and unhealthy habits.

Social events, decadent meals, and packed schedules often throw off regular exercise routines and healthy eating plans.

With so much focus on preparing for festivities and managing travel plans, staying on track with a healthy lifestyle becomes challenging for many.

Balancing holiday traditions with healthy habits can be challenging, but experts recommend focusing on small, realistic changes.

Incorporating healthy habits into holiday routines and making mindful choices can help support overall well-being without the pressure of perfection.

Skipping exercise or straying from healthy eating routines during the holidays can lead to feelings of guilt, which may dampen the festive spirit.

However, maintaining some healthy habits is essential for overall well-being. Dietitian Natalie Mokari from Charlotte, North Carolina, emphasizes that insufficient fiber and protein can affect digestion and energy levels, making it harder to fully enjoy holiday celebrations.

Still, balancing healthy habits with holiday enjoyment is critical to a meaningful season.

Sharing favorite dishes and staying flexible with loved ones adds to the joy. At the same time, experts caution that strict dieting can sometimes lead to overindulgence.

“We place boundaries around food, then we want more of it,” Mokari said.

Dana Santas, a CNN fitness contributor and coach for professional athletes, says feeling guilty about skipping health routines during holiday travel and celebrations can often lead to giving up on self-care entirely.

Instead, she suggests focusing on small, healthy habits that fit into the season’s festivities.

“It doesn’t mean that you let go of being healthy, but it means you let go of (a rigid routine), and you let go of any guilt associated with that. Otherwise, you’re just sabotaging yourself,” Santas said.

Mokari recommends adding more fruits and vegetables to feel better after enjoying holiday treats rather than cutting out your favorite foods.

Since holiday travel often limits control over meals—dining at restaurants or eating at others’ homes—she suggests making minor, healthy adjustments.

When ordering at a restaurant, she advises choosing dishes you enjoy while adding extra nutrients.

Mokari added that simple changes, like adding a side salad or toppings such as lettuce, tomato, or avocado, can help boost your fiber and nutrient intake.

Another easy option is adding beans to tacos, increasing fiber and nutrients.

Mokari advises balancing holiday treats with healthier choices by pairing festive foods and drinks with nutritious options.

For instance, drink water with caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, enjoy fruit with road trip snacks, and bring a healthy side dish, like a salad or fall vegetable, when visiting family or friends.

These simple adjustments can help maintain your health during the holiday season.

To prevent overindulging, focus on the foods you love and pay attention when full.

Don’t stress about balancing treats and healthy foods perfectly. The key is to enjoy the holiday season with those you care about.

“One meal, a few meals, a few desserts –– it’s not a make-or-break situation for your health,” Mokari said.

Missing gym sessions during the holidays doesn’t have to damage your health. Instead of focusing on intense workouts, Santas recommends adding simple movements like stretches or light exercises to your routine.

These activities can help ease stiffness and aches from travel or long periods of sitting.

Listening to your body and prioritizing movement throughout the season will keep you energized and ready to enjoy the holidays to the fullest.

Take breaks during family games or long conversations to stand and stretch, which can help with posture, Santas suggested.

You can also encourage a walk outside for fresh air and a little added activity.

“It can be a 10-minute walk out in the cold, crisp air,” Santas added. “Any opportunity to take little movement breaks.”

Moreover, Santas recommends simple mobility exercises to help prevent injury, such as stretching or rolling out on the floor while watching movies with family.

To stay active without overdoing it, she suggests packing a resistance band, which can be used for light workouts like wide walks.

Additionally, incorporating play into your routine is a fun and effective way to keep moving during the holidays.

Exercise should be enjoyable, not a chore, Santas noted.

Embrace the fun of childhood play during the holidays by joining family activities, like dancing or playing games such as tag or hide-and-seek.

Adding playful moments to your routine keeps you active and creates lasting memories.

Here’s fitness trainer Nick Walker sharing more healthy holiday travel tips: