What strategies if any, have you put in place to remain healthy during the holiday season? We start off with Halloween and if you indulge in ‘all the things’ that Halloween offers (candy!), you’re pretty much starting the holiday season off with a “bang”!
Ok – let me set this up first by saying, if you are aware and mindful of all of your decisions, feel free to enjoy it ALL. But if it’s mindless eating or decision making, that isn’t always the best choice, health will suffer. And let’s be clear – I’m not just talking about food.
If you are reading this post when it was written, both Halloween and Thanksgiving have passed. We are now in the thick of Christmas shopping, wrapping presents and getting ready for family get togethers etc. Honestly, sometimes it’s the anxiousness of being with family that sets us up for a decline in health. I wanted to take the time to remind you (and myself) how to get through December and go into January as healthy as ever!
One Step at a Time
- Set up a plan. Get out a paper and pen (yes ….do this and not use the notes in your phone) and write down “the plan”. Make sure to remind yourself to eat a healthy breakfast and if that means writing it down, write it down! But plan your week ….and try to stick to it. I know things come up but when you see things in black and white, it’s easier to take on the day/week. If you simply cannot get to something, jot it down for the next day – no stress needed ….just move it over.
- Stay active. Go for a walk, run …whatever. Try and keep your gym time going. You know you love it and it brings you joy – so do it! This will help keep your mind healthy (yes, mind …..body too but this time of year, we need the head to be in the right place). The sun and fresh air are so important, especially during the winter months….and when you throw in the craziness of this time of year, it’s even more crucial. So at the very least, take some walks ….breathe and release.
- Have a strategy for parties. It’s so ok to eat the foods served at the gatherings, IF you choose to. BUT, if you’re dreading the fact that you don’t want to be tempted by a food or what have you, plan ahead. You can either eat before you go or plan to bring food to keep you on your healthy path. If someone gives you a hard time about not indulging on the food served, you can simply reply with, “That (insert a a particular food) doesn’t make me feel good. I have so much to do and need to feel my best and that (food) doesn’t sit well with me.” A response like that is more likely to be received better than, “I’m on a diet ….”, if that makes sense. All that said, strategize your game plan so you’re not thrown off track.
- Grin and bear it. So there are often times we are thrown into family situations that aren’t the best. This time of year brings family ‘together’, even if it’s someone you aren’t fond of – BUT it’s Christmas, so all are included. My suggestion is to grin and bear it. I have this issue (trust me) but since I know it’s short lived, I take it all in and remind myself, it’s just for a short period of time in the grand scheme of life. If it’s truly a toxic relationship, I suggest making other plans but if it’s more of a personality conflict, try and take the day in stride. Smile ….kill ’em with kindness and breathe.
- BREATHE. While there are many ways to keep healthy habits going, remembering to breathe – truly breathe – is key! If you’re like me, I get so wrapped up in the moment of getting this or that done and I do in fact, forget to breathe. Set an alarm on your phone (I know our iwatches remind us too) and have it go off once every hour or two. It may seem silly ….but stopping everything and taking in a few deep breaths and releasing it all, helps so, so much! It really should be something we do all year long but I highly recommend it this last week before Christmas day.
- Drink bone broth. One of the things that suffers is our healthy eating whether we want it to or not. We are so busy, we often just grab something quick. It doesn’t even have to be fast food ….it’s just not the “norm”. Perhaps getting all the greens and veggies in are harder because almond butter toast is so much easier. Right? Or we eat a leftover piece of chicken but don’t take the time to pair it with vegetables. That said, we are not only doing our bodies an injustice with lower quality foods, we are running on empty! So I find that drinking bone broth helps keeps minerals in my system and does in fact, help with colds and the flu this time of year.
- Set a bed time. I know, I know ….you gotta wrap gifts and have to wait til the kids go to bed. I get it. I’ve been there. I urge you to put a cut off time to your night. Sleep is the best thing you can do for your body to take the day in stride. Give yourself a time limit for whatever it is that you have to get done ….then make sure that time limit allows for down time. Give your body the chance to wind down. Take a bath if you can. Put on a candle or have essential oils going and unwind for a bit before you crawl into bed. AND please – make sure to get an ample amount of sleep. We all know that 8 hours is best but at the very least, make sure you’re setting your time for ‘relax and recover’, then to bed with getting 7 hours of sleep in. That’s the least amount of sleep you should be getting, especially this time of year.
- Limit alcohol. Yes, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! And cheers to all the things! Alcohol does more than just weaken your immune system, it lowers inhibitions and judgement. In terms of healthy food choices, alcohol may have you reaching for the foods you wouldn’t normally reach for. Again, if you truly want that particular food and are aware, then feel free to enjoy. But if it’s the alcohol “talking”, you will probably wake up the next day feel badly – and I don’t just mean a hangover. Slowly sip on a glass of wine or a cocktail …..nurse it! Then switch to sparkling water with a lime in it. It’ll look like a cocktail so you won’t get all the judgy comments AND you’ll feel soooo much better about your decision, as well as feeling great the next day!
- Wrap as you buy! I might be writing this blog post too late for this tip but if you’re still shopping, come straight home and wrap the presents you bought that day. There’s nothing worse than bringing them all home and seeing the huge/daunting pile of gifts to be wrapped! I wrap as I buy and it makes the world of difference. Try this next year if I’m too late in sharing this with you now.
- Prep ahead (piggy backing off of #3). If you know you’re going to a Christmas dinner elsewhere and want to stay on track with your health goals, get some side dishes and dessert together ahead of time. Take over a paleo side dish to share and a healthier version of a chocolate pie. Make your grocery list out and shop at least a few days out. You don’t want to show up to the grocery store and find empty shelves. Grab what you need ahead of time and prep your meals the day before. No need to feel silly about bringing your own dish(es) because you make enough for a handful of people and call it your contribution to the dinner! There’s no reason you have to be detoured with health goals, if you don’t want to be.
I’m certain there are many other things you do that keep your health in check during this time of year. I would love to hear them. These are just a handful of things that I do and they are basically ‘free’! We are already spending so much money in December, no reason to put more stress on ourselves with purchasing things to keep us healthy at this point.
Above all – enjoy this time! Enjoy the fun and laughter ….the memories that will be made, whether they are good or bad. I like the hustle and bustle but I know some don’t and become very grumpy this time of year. But this time of year is inevitable. So why fight it? Go in with a smile, a pep in your step and a plan! It’ll all be over before we know it, so let’s try and make each moment, a good one!
