Staying healthy and remaining on paleo can get a bit harder with the added pressure we typically feel during the holiday season. For many of us, it’s all the holiday eating that gives us a reason for a New Year’s resolution.

However, with the right approach, you can maintain your paleo throughout the season and still enjoy the holidays.

1. Planning Ahead

Having a plan together ahead of time helps make it much easier to maintain a paleo diet meal plan during the holidays season. Planning ahead of time applies to attending parties, traveling and hosting dinners. Prepping meals ahead of time can help you avoid potentially uncomfortable situations where you’re more likely to compromise your diet. Planning ahead with someone else on paleo may also make this holiday season a lot easier to manage.

You could even plan ahead and use the paleo diet to help boost your immune system for the upcoming holiday season. Confide in a friend for support or bring that extra snack whenever you go out if it’s easier. Instead of getting caught in an uncomfortable situation, plan ahead and make the adjustments you need so you can enjoy the holidays without sacrificing your commitment to paleo.

2. Keeping it Simple

The correlating factor between the holidays, our health and compromising on paleo is typically stress-related. Managing and minimizing that stress by keeping your paleo approach simple may be the path to remaining health and happy through the New Year. Instead of slipping into the age-old redundant arguments over the potential health risks of carbs this holiday season, make paleo more about your personal taste or your sensitivity to gluten.

Skip the viral 30-day paleo challenge this year, avoid temptation as much as possible and make a paleo meal diet plan that works for you. Finding simple ways to reduce stress is the way to plan on sticking to paleo this year. As you plan for the season, and go about your day-to-day choices, make an effort to simplify things so you don’t stress out over your paleo.

3. Setting Fitness Goals

Staying active can help you avoid falling into a rut during this upcoming holiday season. Even if it’s just going for a short walk around the neighborhood, breaking a sweat can make all the difference in how your day goes. Setting up a fitness plan with goals beforehand can help lower your stress and make you less likely to overcompensate by being overzealous with your paleo diet.

Your fitness goals and paleo plan should work in tandem so that you have the time and energy to enjoy the holiday festivities, care-free. Regular exercise will actually make it easier to remain in paleo by providing endorphins that boost your mood. Your sense of accomplishment and motivation will also improve as you become more invested and committed to your goals.

If you want to stay on paleo through the holidays, try planning ahead, simplifying your situation and exercising regularly. As you make plans for paleo this holiday season, be considerate and reach out so others can plan accordingly as well.