How to Balance Having Fun and Staying Healthy This Holiday Season
How to Balance Having Fun and Staying Healthy This Holiday Season
The holiday season is here! Bring on the get togethers, holiday dinners, and delicious cookies and desserts.
This is the time of year that many of us let our healthy habits slide. Yet, there are ways to prevent the holiday slide from happening while still having a great time celebrating.
If you want to be able to enjoy yourself this holiday season while still staying healthy, then keep reading!
Plan ahead
We often give this tip, and it’s because when it comes to most things in life it helps to plan ahead. Obviously, you can plan and prepare for everything, but you can take some time to set yourself up for success. The key is making sure that you take that time. It’s often easier said than done.
Sure, meal planning sounds all well and good, but how often does Monday night roll around before you’ve realized that you didn’t take the time to plan it out. Instead, schedule out your scheduling time! That might sound silly, but it works. Actually put it in your calendar, set a reminder for that chunk of time you’re going to need to plan out your schedule for the upcoming week and for your meal planning.
Another tip? Keep track of your meal planning in a google excel sheet and write down recipes with links, so then when you get stuck wondering, “what should I even make this week?” you have a recipe and grocery list all ready to go.
Start and end your day off on the right foot
If how you start is how you finish, then it’s important to take a close look at your nighttime routine. Raise your hand if you spend a good amount of time scrolling through social media and staying up way too late reading mindless articles. Instead, prioritize your sleep. Set an alarm or a reminder on your phone, throw it on “do not disturb” and set it aside.
Take some time to wind down for the day with a good book, journaling or talking with your significant other. Settle into bed a little earlier than normal and allow your book and your mind to slowly relax and wind down. When you end your day right then you are more likely to wake up refreshed, energized and ready to tackle the day.
If you have holiday parties or events in the evening then it’s a good idea to start your day with a healthy breakfast and plenty of healthy options laid out for the rest of the day. If you starve yourself throughout the day then you are more likely to end up famished and lose all will power when it comes to the treats and rich meals at night.
Cut out the clutter
The holiday time is such a magical time, but it can also be a very stressful one too. There are presents to buy and gifts to wrap and cookies to bake and often times we can feel the need to want to do ALL THE THINGS.
Make a list of all of the activities that you want to accomplish and do throughout the holiday season.
Prioritize them from most important to least important. Take into account how much time these activities and events will take and how much energy they will cost you.
Take a look at your schedule and map out your week and/or month ahead. In addition to your daily routine, your work, your time spent with your family or your kids, add your holiday events and activities.
Remind yourself that you can find magical moments in the most simplest of ways. If you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, all the lights in the world aren’t going to cover that up. Let go of the need to do everything and focus on experience these times and living them up to the fullest.
Watch your portions
It’s also important to give yourself grace and remember that when it comes to diet and exercise that the all-or-nothing mindset never works. Instead, realize that it’s okay to enjoy the holiday cookie or the delicious holiday dinner. Just keep in mind your portions. If you plan ahead, set your day up for success with a healthy breakfast and healthy snacks then you’ll be less likely to go crazy with the sweets at night.
Practice mindfulness
This is most certainly the busy season! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, “It’s just crazy busy over here, but it’s all good!” Sometimes we get stuck in the hamster wheel of being busy for the sake of being busy. Our mind is completely filled with a million and one things. When our schedules, our day, our MIND is jammed packed to the bring then that doesn’t leave much else time for healthier habits.
If you’ve ever taken notice of the times that you are more stressed, busy, or lacking sleep, you’ll notice that most people are more likely to let their healthy habits slip to the side. How many times have you reached the end of the day, exhausted, and not been able to muster up the energy to cook the healthy dinner that you had planned?
This is where mindfulness comes in.
Be aware of your state and how you are feeling throughout the day. Sometimes we are stressed and feeling overwhelmed and don’t even notice or realize, and then we are wondering why we ate the entire sleeve of cookies in one sitting. Take some time to just sit and be with yourself and take some time away from all of the hustle and bustle of life. How? You can exercise, you can go for a walk, you can journal or read a book.
The holiday season is supposed to be a time for enjoyment. You CAN find ways to balance having fun while still staying healthy and active this holiday season. If you need a push to get started, grab a free week of classes below. Member already? Be sure to book your VIP call with us to discuss your goals.
