The holidays are often one of the biggest saboteurs for staying well, eating well, keeping fit, and maintaining our routine. When these go awry, stress goes up and you throw the baby out with the bathwater. Here are a few tips and strategies so you don’t fall off the rails.
1. Set a realistic goal each week, I like to plan on Sundays. Sit down and set a plan that works for you. Consider the flow of your activities over the upcoming week. What days do you have parties, family gatherings, or other commitments?
2. Plan your time mindfully. When your schedule gets crazy, cut some activities back. If you work out, aim for a shorter workout, don’t skip it. For instance, if you normally get in three, 45-minute workouts every week, you might aim for 2 with an extra amount of walking. This will allow you to stay on track, stay motivated, and move through the season. We tend to over-commit during the holidays and when we don’t keep our regular routine, it adds to extra stress.
3. Don’t stress. Keep it simple, move regularly, and stay motivated by being connected to a group, friend, or family member that cares about you. Take 15 minutes to refresh yourself. Maybe soak your feet in some warm water and just take a chill moment. If you can’t do that, try two- to ten deep breaths.
4. Keep healthy foods around for nibbling. Instead of cookies and candies out on the counter, have celery, little tomatoes, or carrot sticks readily available. Much of the holiday eating is mindless. Change the narrative of your food choices.
5. Hit reset each week. The tip is to take every week as its own week. Hit the refresh button and don’t beat yourself up if you lost track one day or even the week. Look ahead and enjoy the season knowing you did your best.
