7 Tips for a Bulletproof Holiday Season

You’ll see lots of people talking about how stressful the holidays are. That’s true. But this season is also really special. After all, it’s the time of year when people are thinking about gratitude, loved ones and the experiences that make us happy — aka prime Bulletproof values.

You shouldn’t have to worry about being “perfect” during the holidays. Instead, you should focus on how delicious your holiday dinner will be, how excited you are to spend time with your friends and family and how beautiful the winter sky looks at sundown.

The best way to be Bulletproof this holiday season is to focus on the things that bring you joy and make you feel great. Here are a few tips to help you stay on track, manage the stress of the season and continue being awesome all year long.

1. Stick to the green side of the Bulletproof Diet

If you already know that gluten doesn’t agree with you and dairy isn’t your friend, it’s okay to say no to holiday sweets and treats like beer, bread and excess sugar. Of course, that’s not always easy. (Especially when your grandma brings her famous apple pie.)

Whenever possible, stick to the green side of the Bulletproof Diet Roadmap. These are foods that are packed with nutrients that will fuel your mind and body, without contributing to inflammation and bloat like cookies and fried foods. Here’s how to do that during the holiday season:

Bring your own food

Not sure if your holiday potluck will feature a single vegetable? Bring your own Bulletproof dish. Try these crowd-pleasing ideas:

• 24 Keto Appetizers So Good, Everyone Will Like Them
• 40 Paleo Game Day Ideas to Feed a Crowd
• 11 Keto Casseroles to Make Dinner a Breeze
• 30 Life-Changing Cauliflower Recipes for Every Food Craving

Be kind to yourself

You don’t need to beat yourself up if you stay into the red zone of the Bulletproof Diet. Avoid the temptation to bail on your goals completely. Some people say to themselves, “Oops, I screwed up, so I may as well go out big” — and that’s how one cookie turns into a dozen.

Let’s face it: You’re always on the Bulletproof Diet because it’s a spectrum. Every bite you take either helps or harms your performance. Santa doesn’t change that. You’re human. You’re going to eat gluten, dairy or ultra-processed food sometimes. Don’t beat yourself up about it — just pay attention to how the food made you feel, and load up on the foods that help you perform at your peak.

2. Hacking healthful holiday desserts

Desserts are hard to avoid this time of year. And they are doubly difficult if you’ve got emotional connections to the treats that you’ve been nibbling on since childhood.

Like with any other food, you have a choice: You can give let yourself enjoy the treat and deal with the side effects, or you can politely say “no thanks.” Maybe you don’t want to deal with the brain fog, fatigue and bloat you feel after one too many slices of cheesecake. That’s perfectly okay. You’re not a bad person — you’re just in tune with your body.

The ultimate dessert hack is to bring your own:

• Chocolate Bacon Fudge
• Paleo Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies
• Keto Pavlova
• Low-Carb Chocolate Candies
• Paleo Sweet Potato Pie
• Paleo Baked Apple Cider Donuts
• Paleo Mexican Wedding Cookies

More Diet Tips From Bulletproof

How to Deal With Visceral Fat, and Why It’s So Bad for You

How to Stock a Healthy Pantry with Long-Lasting Staples, Plus Recipes

Constantly Snacking? Nutrition Expert Shares How to Eat Mindfully

What Color Is Your Pee? This Urine Chart Explains What It Means

3. Add supplements to your routine

No, we’re not talking about multivitamins. Certain supplements can help you manage stress, support your immune system and boost your energy so you’ll feel merry all season long. Here are our picks:

• Mood-Boosting Supplements for Depression, Anxiety and Stress
• Collagen protein supports healthy hair, skin and nails for all of those holiday selfies. Get your daily dose with Bulletproof Collagen Protein powder.
• Detox from holiday sips and sweets with Bulletproof Coconut Charcoal.
• Boost your body’s master antioxidant with Glutathione Force — the ultimate way to defend your body against the toxins and stress of everyday living.

4. Get enough (quality) sleep

Sleep is one of the best ways to battle stress during the holiday season. Getting quality and regular sleep will help you feel your best, support your mood and actually enjoy the season. But sometimes, it’s tough to get enough shut-eye. These tips will help:

• How to Sleep Better: Science-Backed Sleep Hacks to Wake Up Ready to Go
• 5 Ways to Support Your Body’s Sleep Cycle, According to a Circadian Rhythm Expert
• Bulletproof Sleep Mode is a drug-free way to power down and charge up. It supports better sleep, which is a big deal when you’re traveling over the holidays — or dealing with extra stress.

5. Avoid the holiday hangover

Getting together with family or coworkers usually means the liquor cabinet is open for business, especially during the holidays. The thing is, alcohol can derail your wellness goals, especially if you’re reaching for drinks like sugar-laden cocktails and gluten-heavy beer. Learn more about how alcohol affects your body, plus the best ways to drink responsibly.

6. Focus on calorie quality, not quantity

Sure, you could ask yourself how many calories are in that green bean casserole or pumpkin pie. But more importantly, how does that food make you feel? 

For many, counting calories can be extra stressful — and it often ignores the fact that calorie quantity isn’t always as important as calorie quality. If you’re worried about winter weight gain, follow the expert tips in this article.

7. Practice gratitude

Before the gifts, the food and the traffic this season, take a step back and remember why we celebrate the holidays in the first place. It’s the time to enjoy the company of loved ones and be thankful for health, happiness and grass-fed butter (or maybe that’s just us). What are you thankful for? We want to hear from you.  Follow Bulletproof on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and tell us how you’re going to #BeBulletproof this season.