The holidays almost demand that we be happy. Thanksgiving through the New Year are all about celebrating. We celebrate a specific holiday, being with family, gift giving, and specific annual gatherings. Health is not a focus. In fact, it is a time when we can feel the most stressed and eat in a way that is not ideal or particularly healthy. Often this affects us emotionally as well. We more likely feel like we are “surviving” the holidays rather than reveling in what is good about them.
When we have committed to living as our healthiest selves, the holidays can be a time bomb waiting to go off. We don’t want to get sucked back in to the unhealthy holiday habits. But it is hard to break free of the tradition and expectations surrounding each holiday.
There are ways to make sure we hold on to our priorities and take time to nurture our well being during the holidays.
First things first…Your Emotional Well Being. Check into how you are feeling. Your emotional health is so important to your ongoing success in living a healthy lifestyle. Keep to the patterns you know work for you…like working out, planning your meals, and getting enough sleep. Just as you plan for your success also plan for the holidays to ensure you can enjoy them.
A great way to check in on your emotional well being and to remind yourself of what is important to you is to download our free resource we created with Connie Stapleton, Ph.D., Emotional Barriers to Sustained Weight Loss Success: Facing Our Fears, Mindset, and Addictions.
Celebrate some quiet moments. We can feel overwhelmed with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. We can get depressed. Sometimes it is good to carve out some time to just be and nurture our well being. Check out this list of some up-lifting movies that might come in handy.
De-stress and de-clutter. One way to find more joy in the holidays and a lot less stress is to simplify your gift giving and the tools you have in your own kitchen. The stuff we keep around us can ultimately be a distraction and create unwanted visual noise in our lives. Take it from Wendy Tranz, someone who has taken the steps to de-clutter and de-stress:
Pay attention to spending. One way to help avoid stress during the holidays is to plan the healthy meals you will be serving from Thanksgiving through the New Year…week by week. By planning ahead you can save money on what you spend. There are also specific meals and menus that are particularly budget-friendly. Here are some ideas for you to consider over the holidays that are both budget-friendly and one pot simple-to-prep meals:
Slow Cooker Brisket with Onions
Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup
Herb and Goat Cheese Frittata
Create memories beyond food. The holidays tend to be all about food. When we call on our memories of events inevitably it is the food served that immediately comes to mind. For those of us committed to a healthy lifestyle and right sized eating, focusing on the food can be undermining. How can we combat this? By creating new memories that focus on the meaning of the holidays and the activities that are seasonally specific so they make the moments and memories special. This doesn’t mean that special foods and gatherings that include traditional meals are no longer allowed; instead it is about a re-balance of our memories and traditions so the focus is where it should be…on living life to the fullest as our healthiest selves. Here are some ideas about ways to incorporate Healthy Holiday Memories into your overall Holiday Traditions:
On the Day of a Holiday Build in Activity
- Walk before cooking the Thanksgiving Meal
- Touch Football after the big meal
- Playing Games like Charades, Twister or a Video Dance Game like “Just Dance”
- Go to a movie on Christmas Day and get away from all the food
Take a moment to make some homemade chai tea and write a note to a friend, make a call to someone you have not talked to in a while, or curl up and read a book…maybe even watch one of your favorite holiday movies. Take a moment to enjoy and acknowledge the good in your life. Now that is something to celebrate!
Enjoy! And remember to always Live Vibrant!
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