November 13, 2016
Tips on keeping balance over the holiday season
Have you ever noticed that when the Fall arrives, so does the hustle and bustle of prepping for the holiday season? Our already busy lives go into over drive and we have several holiday functions to attend. Holiday dinners, Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, school plays, and endless shopping take over our calendars, and our priorities.
As we start to socialize more and get into the festive season, we also consume more drinks and all of the yummy holiday snacks and foods that we wouldn’t normally indulge in. All of our hard work and health conscious previous months fall to the wayside.
Our exercise habits come to a halt. We put it on the bottom of the to do list. We are eating out more because of time restrictions and holiday commitments so our healthy nutritious habits in the kitchen also cease. Not to even mention all of the sugary sweets and rich fatty foods we are now enjoying as we entertain all of our holiday functions.
I have heard people say “I will get back on track in January, it will be my New Years Resolution to lose all my holiday weight”. Its so easy to do; simple in fact to stop putting our health first when we get busy. However, unless you want to be sick over the holidays its a bad idea to fall off the “health wagon”. We need balance as we head into the holidays.
Its okay to indulge at a special occasion. But do it in moderation. Here are some tips to help keep you on track, and to help keep some balance in your life as we head into the festive season.
Move your body every day. If you can’t get to the gym for your regular routine, then make sure you exercise even 15 minutes every day. If you have to park farther away to get some walking in then do it!
Plan Ahead. This is a big help. When you can, take a look at the menu and make a plan so you can have a healthy choice. If you aren’t able to see the menu or don’t know what will be served, then choose lighter options, like a salad with protein. Drink water before your meal. If you are at a buffet style function, keep calm and take deep breaths before you go to the buffet table. Chew slowly. The more air we swallow; the more bloated we’ll get.
Avoid banking calories. Sometimes we think if we skip lunch then we can eat what we want at dinner. This is a bad idea because you will almost certainly over indulge.
Enjoy the sweets! BUT have the 3 bite rule to keep your sweet tooth satisfied. The 3 bite rule is a tool in portion control, the first bite is delicious and as flavourful as you thought, the second bite confirms the first bite, and the third bite you can savour and by now your palate has had its fill.
Get plenty of the nutrient Potassium. It counterbalances sodium. Eat bananas, kiwis, strawberries, cantaloupe to retain less water.
Drink peppermint tea. This herbal drink will improve digestion, eliminate inflammation, relax your body and even help boost your immune system.
Delegate Responsibilities. In order to stay sane and reduce stress and make some time in your daily routine to stay on track delegate some jobs to your family members. If you have your partner sign the Christmas cards, or have your children put the stamps on the envelopes for example this will free up some time for you to exercise or make a healthy meal.
Most of all keep calm during the holiday season. Enjoy this wonderful time of year and have fun! If you can keep balance in your everyday life, the small indulgences will be pleasurable, and come January you won’t need to start your healthy habits over because you will be ahead of the same old New Years Resolutions.
Melissa
