The holidays are full of good things: travel, family, parties, and lots of great food. Holidays are also great at destroying workout routines and healthy habits, with no hope of recovery until January.

It doesn't have to be all or nothing. You can enjoy the season and still take care of your body. Here are eight simple ways to stay healthy and active through the holidays.

1. Trade the hour-long workout for "movement snacks"

Exercise doesn't have to look the same in every season. Instead of one targeted hour at the gym, spread movement throughout your day. Every hour, do a few push-ups, squats, or lunges. These small "movement snacks" add up to a lot of total movement by the end of the day.

I often hear from clients that they skipped their workout because they didn't have a full hour. Don't be black-and-white about it. Something is always better than nothing.

Some days, your warm-up can be your workout. Dead Bugs, the Spider-Man Complex, and Hip See-Saws all build trunk and hip stability. Keeping those areas solid will help you when you get back to your regular workouts after the holidays.

2. Walk after meals

A short walk after you eat is an effective way to reduce your blood sugar. Every time we eat, glucose rises in the bloodstream, especially after a high-carb meal. Muscles use glucose for fuel. Walking, and all exercise, pulls glucose out of the blood. That after-dinner walk will produce a smaller spike and a much better chance of not feeling sluggish for hours afterward.

After your big holiday meal, grab a family member or friend and head out for a walk around the block.

3. No naked carbs

A "naked carb" is a carbohydrate eaten by itself. Pairing carbohydrates with protein helps stabilize your blood sugar. The glucose is released into the bloodstream over a longer period of time instead of all at once.

So if you're reaching for a roll or a cookie, have it alongside some turkey, ham, or another protein.

4. Put your workouts on the schedule

This one applies year-round: be intentional. Look at your week and put your workout on the calendar before the day gets away from you.

Don't knock everyday movement, either. Walking after meals, cleaning the house, and being on your feet to cook all count, and they are much better than sitting most of the day.

And even two solid strength training sessions per week can keep your muscles strong and help you maintain muscle mass through the holidays. To save time, use heavier weights and fewer reps, as long as you understand and can use good form. Your workout will get done faster and be much more effective.

5. Short on time? Use SIT and HIIT

SIT stands for sprint interval training, and HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. Both are very effective, help with blood sugar control, and can be done in 10 to 15 minutes. That is much shorter than a dedicated strength workout.

Year-round, our recommendation is always strength first, at least twice a week, plus one HIIT session and one SIT session each week.

If holiday busyness forces you to pause your strength plan for a couple of weeks, keep the HIIT and SIT sessions. Doing each once a week will maintain your metabolic conditioning and make it easier to return to strength training.

6. Aim for "better" choices, not perfect ones

Don't be a martyr during the holidays. This is a really bad time to try a new diet fad. Enjoy a piece of pumpkin pie and some Christmas cookies. The key is not to go crazy.

The real trap is the thought, "Well, I've already failed at eating healthy, so I may as well keep going." That mindset does far more harm than a couple of cookies, one piece of cake, or a drink here and there.

Do your best to save your "cheat" days for the holidays themselves and the social gatherings around them. Every other day, stick with a base of healthy, whole foods. That balance goes a long way toward keeping you healthy and feeling your best through a season full of gatherings, family time, and travel.

7. Prioritize sleep

Don't discount how important sleep is for recovery. As with nutrition, the holidays will bring some later nights, a drink or two, and less healthy food, and your sleep will suffer on those nights. That's okay.

On every other night, try to get to bed between 9 and 10 p.m. and wake at the same time each day. On nights you are home, a 5- to 10-minute mobility routine before bed can help calm your nervous system and prepare your body for better sleep.

Remember that quality of sleep is just as important as quantity.

8. Enjoy the season

Social connection is a pillar of health. In a society where it is easy to isolate ourselves, the holidays are a wonderful time to connect with friends and family.

So enjoy this season of gatherings. Consider how you can show up for your friends and loved ones, and maybe even open your home to host the people you want to connect with.