It’s that time of the year again, when everyone is hustling and bustling, stressed, and just plain busy. Actually, it should be a joyous time of year, but with the media urging you to get the lowest sale prices; companies and organizations vying for your undivided attention; and you planning holiday travel, it can all take a toll on your mind, body, and soul. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can take control and stay well through the holidays using the following strategies.
Pay Attention to Portions
There are a lot of holiday gatherings and parties coming up. This is the time for you to exercise mindful eating. Pay attention to what you’re putting into your mouth and how much you’re actually eating.
Holiday weight gain isn’t a myth. Between October 31st and January 1st, you could gain 7-10 pounds, but the downside is that you probably won’t lose it during the year. So, when the holidays come back around, that extra weight could be still there waiting to celebrate another New Year with you. Not good at all.
What to do? When you attend parties and celebrations, scope out the food. Choose the healthiest dishes you can to eat first. If you want to indulge in sweets and desserts, go ahead, but keep the portion-size small and do not go back for seconds. Also, make sure your plate is the size of a saucer or smaller. You can still fill your plate, but you’ll eat much less and still feel full.
Move Everyday
Excess weight tends to hang around when you’re continually inactive. You should plan to get moving, in some way, each and every day. There are several things you can do:
- Go for a walk/run
- Visit different Yoga/Pilates studios
- Check out different classes that cause you to sweat, like Zumba.
- Don’t forget about all the gyms and health clubs that run end-of-the year specials. You can get in now, before the prices go up.
The key is to move continuously so that fresh oxygen gets circulated throughout your body and can trigger your body’s fat-burning response.
Eat the Rainbow
Fruits and vegetables come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Keep your plate colorful by sampling all the varieties you can. The antioxidants, nutrients, and disease-fighting capabilities fruits and veggies contain can help you feel better and help your body fight back and stay well.
Plan for Me-Time
Even though this is the time for family and gatherings to celebrate your love for each other, you can’t discount much-needed “me-time.” This is the time you need to regroup and get in touch with your feelings. In addition, this is necessary to determine what you want and need, and actually just spending time with you. Neglecting, not paying attention to, or discounting Me-Time can be detrimental to your overall well-being, because you’re being pulled in so many different directions and maybe feeling that you can’t control anything. Planning out and actually taking time off from all the hustle and bustle can help you stay centered and sane. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, here are some examples, you can do any or all of the following:
- Take a long, hot bath before bed
- Take 5 minute to sit in a chair, in a room by yourself, and stare into space. You can also focus on something on the wall or out of the window.
- Walk the mall with your headphones on while listening to your favorite tunes.
- Go to a movie alone and allow yourself to become totally engrossed.
- Book a massage or spa treatment and don’t allow yourself to feel guilty about it.
By paying attention to you and your needs, you’ll be a much better family member, guest, or host. It’s important that you attend to and watch out for yourself so that you can move forward through the holidays with ease and grace.
If you need help planning out your successful wellness journey through the holidays, you’re just one click away from the help you need.
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