Do you go into the holiday season with the best of intentions, only to let your health slip down the priority list? It can feel almost impossible to make healthy choices over Christmas and New Year because we’re surrounded by temptations.
But what if you could find a balance between healthy choices and enjoying yourself? The key is to focus on good habits that you can stick to.
Maintaining good habits can help you enjoy the season more
Staying reasonably healthy isn’t just about preventing weight gain or minimising any loss of fitness. It’s also about supporting your body over a more stressful time of year.
Eating well and staying active can help you with:
· Managing stress levels
· Keeping your energy high when you’ve got running around to do
· Sleep well, so you’re better rested for the following day
· Balancing your mood and keeping you feeling calm
· Minimising your chances of emotional and binge eating
So if you want to thrive over the holidays instead of barely surviving, you’ll still want to prioritise your health – at least to some degree.
Remember: the holidays aren’t about being perfect
You can make positive changes in your health over the holidays. But it’s not a time for sticking to a strict diet and exercise routine or overhauling your entire life overnight. Trying to be perfect when you’re surrounded by yummy food, holiday sales and parties is a recipe for failure.
Instead of perfection, focus on the small changes you can make consistently, even when you’re in holiday mode.
5 habits to stick to over the Christmas holidays
If you want to prioritise your health over the holidays, the best approach is to focus on small and achievable habits that keep you feeling good.
Here are 5 habits you can try out over Christmas and New Year to keep yourself healthy while still enjoying the season:
· Drink water regularly – aim to have at least one glass of water every time you have a drink or a snack. This will minimise your chance of going crazy at the buffet, as well as reducing your chance of a headache the next morning.
· Add a serve of vegetables – instead of telling yourself not to eat delicious treats, start by adding a serve of vegetables to each meal. That way, you’re getting a good serve of fibre, vitamins and minerals in, so you can enjoy your treats guilt-free!
· Seek out incidental exercise – if you know anything about me, you’ll know incidental exercise is one of my favourite things! Go for a swim at the beach, a walk in the park with the family, play chasey with the kids or help them try out their new sporting equipment on Christmas Day. Find ways to move that are enjoyable.
· Get a decent amount of sleep across the week – if you’re going to a party every weekend, it might not be possible to get a full 8 hours of sleep every night. But if you are having a couple of late nights a week, make sure you balance them with a few early nights.
· Have fun and play for stress relief – stress can be a big issue for us over the holidays, especially when it comes to dealing with in-laws or kids on a sugar high! So look for different ways to enjoy yourself and have some fun every day. You might play old-school board games with friends, watch a Christmas movie with your family, or have a dance-off at your work Christmas party!
The 28 Day Mind and Body Bootcamp will be commencing on 1 January 2020 which is a fantastic start to your new year. In the meantime, why not aim to get a 5-minute workout each day?
