Holiday Health
As adults, when you think about the holidays, what do you instantly think of? I bet it’s not what we used to think of as kids. As a kid, I remember just thinking about all the toys and yummy food that was on its way!
Now, my answer is a little different. I instantly think about all the shopping that needs to get done, how I’m going to prep for the dinner, travel plans, etc.
Sound familiar?
Most adults’ stress levels soar during the holidays, whether it is for the same reasons I stated or others. Often, all the time spent prepping for holiday activities ends up taking away from our time to exercise. All the stress leads to overeating or just making not so wise food choices.
I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be that bad!
Christmas was never just about giving and receiving gifts anyways. This isn’t appealing to everyone but one tip is to see if your family is willing to trade names for gift giving. You can even make it a surprise if you want to add to the fun. Either way, you’ve instantly cut down your spending and time that will be dedicated to shopping.
Another piece of advice that has really helped me with my schedule, is taking advantage of online shopping. Guys, the deals aren’t just in stores on Black Friday or weeks leading up to Christmas. In fact, they’re not even just online for Cyber Monday. Most online stores now have the best deals going on for an entire month leading up to Christmas!
If you’re the head cook in the family, meaning you spend all your time in the kitchen the morning of, try something new to take the load off of you! Everyone brings their best dish to the table and boom, your time actually spent being with your family just skyrocketed!
These physical changes you make to your holiday season schedule will make an impact on your stress levels and improve your health! Think about it. If you didn’t have so many responsibilities and to-do’s for the holidays, you would feel so much more relaxed and get more into the cheerful holiday spirit.
That reduced stress will prevent overeating and free up time for a quick workout so that all the efforts you put in during the year won’t be erased in the last month!
As for the yummy meals, go ahead and enjoy them! Yes, I’m all for making wise food choices, but the Christmas feast is something to be enjoyed. However, here is my advice with that. Have one meal. One meal with all the fixings allows you to enjoy the holiday, without throwing your nutrition – and health – out the window.
Again, the holidays are about so much more than spending all your money on gifts and spending all your time in the kitchen. It’s about being surrounded by your loved ones and cherishing the moment.
So cherish the moments. Make smart choices. Reduce your stress. Maintain your health.
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