Here we go! Most of us will be singing the Hallelujah chorus sometime very soon as we reach the end of school, work, meetings and ordinary life! Whether you like Christmas or not, the break from the norm is a welcome change. But a break also means all those predictable routines we rely on every day will be turned upside down. Whatever healthy choices we’ve worked into habits will be challenged…severely…over the next 11 days. So, what’s your game plan? As with almost any healthy choice a little bit of planning goes a LONG way!
Here are a few simple tips to consider:
- It’s not All Or Nothing. Missing a work out or a serving of veggies does NOT derail a whole day. We do the best we can with what we have. An upside down schedule actually provides new opportunities…keep any eye open for unexpected chances to take a walk, get some extra rest or grab an easy meal with lots of fresh produce (no cooking!).
- Get some healthy food in the house! We eat what’s around us so make sure to have something healthy within reach. For those of us who will be traveling that might mean bringing some food with us. Keep it easy…boil some eggs, chop some fruits/veggies and buy a big container of salad base so you can throw a fast salad together. Don’t love salads? Roast a bunch of veggies and bring those.
- Think through your ‘worth it’ indulgences. It’s the holidays…enjoy them! If grandma’s Christmas cake is something you look forward to all year then eat some! If cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning is a family tradition then join in! The trick here is to pick what’s really special to you …and avoid all the ‘just because it was in front me’ indulgences that really don’t mean anything to you. A great rule of thumb is to aim for 80% healthy choices, 20% treats…if you’re eating 3 meals a day that ends up being about 4 treats a week. That’s doable!
- Remember your ‘Why.’ Why have you been making the health choices you have recently? Because you weren’t sleeping well? Because your knees were aching? Because your stomach was always upset? Because you were tired of being tired and having headaches? Those are GREAT Whys! Wouldn’t it be nice to celebrate Christmas and New Years avoiding all those unpleasant side effects?
But what if we goof up? That’s life. We just get right back up and make the next healthy choice. It’s as simple (and hard!) as that. And rest assured, we ALL goof up…you’re in good company!
Merry Christmas!
