Basic Lifestyle Guidelines: Holiday Edition
The holiday season is well and truly underway. There will be plenty of family time, celebration, and reflecting on the past year. Inevitably, there will also be some challenges to your fitness and health routine from holiday party after holiday party!
Here are a few simple tips to help you enjoy the holidays and continue to progress towards your goals!
THE BASIC LIFESTYLE GUIDELINES: HOLIDAY EDITION
1) BREATHE MORE
With family coming into town, holiday parties, and cocktail hours your balance of work and rest will not be ideal over the next month! Take time throughout the day to take some belly breaths and calm down your nervous system.
Breathing exercises stimulate the “rest and digest” nervous system to reduce the harmful effects of stress and anxiety, keeping your immune system working at full capacity and making it easier to stay jolly!
2) GET MORE SUN EXPOSURE (WHERE POSSIBLE)
Tis the season for late nights from holiday parties which can have a negative effect on your circadian rhythm and energy levels. A great way to lessen the damage is to ensure that you get adequate sun exposure. This sun exposure can come in the form of going for an afternoon walk or having those evening drinks outside and watching the sunset (weather permitting). We know, easier said than done in the Northern Hemisphere… try a Happy Light and chat with your doctor about Vitamin D to help keep energy levels stable.
3) REFLECT ON YOUR GOALS
What better time than the holiday season to reflect on your progress and capitalize on new motivation?
Reflect on the year–what worked, what didn’t, and how can this be improved in 2020?
4) ENJOY IN MODERATION
The holidays are synonymous with indulgence and while it’s easy to deploy some complicated diet strategy in order to avoid those extra calories, the best approach is often the simplest.
Enjoy your favorite foods in moderation, don’t forget to chew thoroughly, and take a post-meal walk!
Chewing each bite thoroughly will increase the chance that your body can digest the food properly and the post-meal walks will help balance blood sugar and boost your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). Bring along your family members for accountability and quality time!
5) SHARE THE GIFT OF HEALTH
There’s no need to be “that guy,” oversharing about your fitness regime. But some small actions can have a big influence on the health of your loved ones! Providing some healthier options at the dinner table, incorporating movement into your family traditions, and teaching a friend about the importance of sleep and hydration are a few ways to share health these holidays.