Staying Healthy During the Holidays
The holiday season is rapidly approaching and with that can come stress, anxiety, and guilt over some of your health habits falling to the side. This time of year is one to celebrate and indulge for sure, but being able to regulate and sustain healthy habits will serve you in regard to your mental and physical health. So, how exactly can we do this? Every time we turn around there is another holiday party, happy hour after work, and errands to run making it difficult to prioritize a healthy routine. Let’s break it down.
Moderation
You have heard the phrase before “everything in moderation” , but when it comes to the holidays it is true. If you enter the holiday season with a restricted mindset regarding indulging foods you will more likely than not slip up and over indulge and then feel upset with yourself. Instead, go in with the mindset that you can enjoy your favorite foods. Make a plan ahead of time, if you know you love one or two desserts that will be served plan to only have those two instead of filling a plate with every dessert offered. You can also still enjoy your favorite foods, but make healthy swaps. For example, instead of using sour cream use greek yogurt or instead of the roasted yams with marshmallows opt for a roasted sweet potato with ghee and cinnamon. An NIH psychologist, Dr. Marci Gluck suggests getting rid of the “all or nothing mindset” and being flexible so you can enjoy foods your truly love nad avoid negative self talk if you over indulge. Make a plan ahead of time about the get together you are going to and which foods you would like to specifically indulge in.
Prioritizing Movement
Keeping up with a fitness routine is essential during the holiday season. This also poses a particular challenge as the weather is cooler and motivation to get moving is often dwindling. Travel also increases during the holidays, so being taken out of your typical environment where you go to a certain gym or workout class can also pose a challenge. This is a great opportunity to change up your workout routine. Maybe you go hiking with your parents while visiting for the holiday, run your high school track field, or borrow your parents P90x supplies and tapes that have been collecting dust. This also may be a time to explore online videos for 20 minute HIIT exercises. With a crazy social schedule fitting in exercise can definitely be difficult, but even 20 minutes a day of movement can make all the difference.
Self Care
You know I wasn’t getting through writing this without discussing self care. The holidays can be overwhelming and difficult for many. The holiday season can be a reminder of a love one that you have lost, difficulty managing family expectations, and financially can be stressful. Self care absolutely must be a priority during this time. The American Psychological Association found that “More people are inclined to feel that their stress increases, rather than decreases, around the holidays (38 percent increase versus 8 percent decrease).” This study also discussed how women are more likely affected by holiday stress likely due to the constant multi tasking and preparing for large get togethers. Self care is different for everyone —it could be movement , mediation, reading, or a therapy session. Whatever works for you to stay grounded do not put it to the side during the holidays which is in fact a time where you need it most.
By incorporating these practices I hope you are able to enjoy the holiday season and make it sustainable for your mental and physical health.
Sources:
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2016/11/healthy-holiday-foods-fun
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2006/12/holiday-stress.pdf