1. Don’t take a Holiday from Healthy Living
The best thing is to keep working out and planning meals through the holidays. This may sound easier said than done with work, travel, parties and holiday stress all hitting you at once, but a little flexible planning can go a long way.
If you typically workout after work but won’t have time with evening events, try working out in the morning or during your lunch hour. If that isn’t realistic, shorten your workout a bit and arrive at the party a little late if possible.
If you have to miss a few workouts each week, stay extra diligent on the days you can workout. You don’t have to make up for missed workouts by doubling down the next day, just add a few extra minutes of moderate exercise. Use common sense and listen to your body before it’s screaming at you.
2. Add Relaxation Exercises to your Workouts
It’s proven that holidays are a stressful time, so start relaxing now. Plan 10 minutes after each workout to do some deep breathing exercises. Make sure you are fully cooled down (heart rate and breathing back to pre-exercise levels) and lie on your back with your knees bent. Arms can rest at your sides or cross over your chest. Enjoy the stillness and focus solely on your breath. Notice how your body expands to allow the breath in and contracts to push the breath out. Pause briefly between breaths, letting your body decide when to take the next breath. Try 5-10 slow breaths. You can also perform relaxation breathing with stretching or at any time of the day that feels right for you.
3. Party Plan your Meals
Borrowing a few hundred calories from the afternoon before heading out to a dinner party is fine as long as you don’t show up listless and starving. If you have several parties a week throughout December, then create a weekly calorie budget that varies by day.
For example, if you normally meal plan 1,800 calories a day with 2,000 on weekends you can budget 2,200 on the 3 party days and 1,600 on the 4 non-party days. It’s just a different way of spending the same 13,000 in a week.
If you hate counting calories then just avoid filling your plate with all the highest calorie foods. Go for the salad, veggies and fruit leaving a little room on the plate to sample a few of your favorite treats.
4. Indulge in Doing Things instead of Eating Things
Think of how you spend your holiday time instead of just enjoying the holiday menu. Enjoy the company of family and friends and take note of how thankful you are to be with them. Try watching Frosty or the Grinch without a holiday beverage or plate of decorated cookies. Plan a walk in the park or around the neighborhood to see holiday lights. Go ice skating or snow shoeing, especially if you’ve never tried them before. Remind yourself that it’s not all about the food.
5. Avoid the Food Therapy Trap
It’s easy to turn to food when feeling stressed out. A simple holiday meal with the family can invite overeating when things get tense. Think about what you really need and how overeating will really make you feel. Stand up and walk away from the table if you need a minute to get through a stressful situation.
Food can also be tempting therapy if you’re home alone with no holiday plans. A big bag of takeout may seem like good company for dinner, but it’s really no substitute. Call a friend instead or write a letter or journal entry. Deal with your heart and your mind as well as you can and keep your stomach out of it.
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