I will start out by saying, this is not a post telling you to workout every day, cut out the drinking and re-gift those holiday cookies. I believe in fun, and the holidays are the perfect time to have some!
Throughout the year you work hard, watch your diet, and make daily choices to sustain a healthy lifestyle. During these few weeks yes, it can be easy to gain a pound or two, trade your gym workout for family time, or just need an extra nap! And guess what.. you shouldn't feel bad about that!
Why? Because health does not mean being a diet maniac. It truly means balance and nourishing your body, mind, and soul. For some, this may mean stopping the over-thinking and obsession. And guess what? I bet if you let go of your anxiety just a bit… you will have fun and you will NOT gain all that feared weight and fall apart!
So here are a few tips to stay healthy for the mind, body, and spirit throughout the season while maintaining balance:
1) PLAY! With many parts of the country covered in snow and friends and family coming to visit spend your normal gym time out playing with your loved ones. Go sledding or build a snow man. In Colorado we love to go snow shoeing or skiing. If you can’t get outside find some active indoor activities, like laser tag, ice skating, or playing at a trampoline park.
2) Eat Dessert, but remember there will be more. If you go to a party with a beautiful dessert table or receive a gift of cookies have one! Enjoy the handmade desserts and just keep in mind that there will still be more. Often we lose our mind and binge at the sight of treats because we feel like this is the only time we can have one or we make up rules that this is a “special occasion” so it is only acceptable chance we have to be caught in a pile of cookie crumbs. But guess what? Treats are available ALL year around, and it is not evil to enjoy them now and again on an average day. Have a cookie at your Office party, enjoy a slice of pie from your Grandma, and remember you can a piece of cake in the middle of March as well.. just because it may be a Wednesday.
3) Don’t “Save” your calories. I know so many young ladies that try to hoard their calories all week long so they can have some drinks and fun foods Friday night. But you know how this typically ends? It ends with you being cranky and hungry Friday afternoon and then smashed and stuck in the bathroom before 9 pm because you ended up with nothing in your tummy but cocktails and sugar. Calories are not a saving account. Hormones, energy production, activity, rest all play into your health, metabolism, and weight more than if you had 900 calories or 2200 calories. Eat regularly, choose healthy options like stews, salads, protein and veggies and then go out, have some drinks and have some fun.
4) Go prepared. I have a list of food restrictions and serious food allergies. This is not something I will compromise or forget about while I am out and enjoying myself. When we are so busy though it can be easy to forget about preparing food ahead of time to end up at a party hungry with nothing to eat or options you know aren’t the best. So I always have snacks with me (this is year around) whether it is a packet of hemp protein in my car, some roasted nuts or jerky in my purse, or if I bring a side I know I can eat with me to a dinner or party, I know I can have something when needed. The stress of getting sick or worrying about what to eat definitely does not put me in the holiday spirit. So if you are invited to party or dinner ask the host if you can bring a side dish, pack your own special dinner, or eat before you even get there so you know you get an enjoyable dinner that is right for your body as well!
5) Have family time experimenting with new recipes! How many times have you opened that same cake mix, or made those same sugar cookies??? There are endless recipes on the internet for new desserts to try that can fit into a special diet or have healthier alternative ingredients without sacrificing flavor! Try out these Christmas Shortbread Cookies, Coconut Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies that are gluten-free and dairy-free, or this Winter Pie recipe. Try substituting applesauce or honey for sugar in recipes, or use grass-fed butter in the place of shortening. Have some treats you can enjoy that are new and better for you!
And with these tips, Remember your Character is not made up of the food you eat. If you forget all of these tips or wake up in a pile of fudge.. remember that what you ate does not make you a “bad” or even unhealthy person, it just makes you are real human being. Gaining a few pounds, drinking too much, or indulging more than you expected may not make you physically feel too awesome but it doesn’t take away from the love you shared with others, the gifts you put so much thought into, or the smiles and greetings you gave to strangers.
Treat each day as a new, and remember what is really important this Holiday season, Sharing LOVE! When the guests are gone and things slow down you will have time to refocus and get back on track. Enjoy these precious times making memories and when the season is over I am here to help you! 😉