Combating Holiday Stress
Combating Holiday Stress
Holiday stress has really taken a toll on me in the past—lack of sleep, poor diet and little exercise makes
me feel lethargic, exhausted and bloated. As part of my weight loss quest, I have decided to make some changes to the status quo this year. My goals this holiday season are to:
- Be kind to my body
- Fill my body with healthy food
- Make time every day to exercise
- Make time ever day to unplug, sit and reflect
- Get plenty of rest, including naps
- Savor my food, whether it’s a rich dessert or a healthy meal
- I will remind myself that it isn’t the food that’s special, but the people that make the holiday memorable (thank you Jansen Schmidt for that great suggestion)
Emotional Triggers
I definitely have emotional triggers that cause me to overeat. As much as I love getting together with family, all the petty differences create stress, and the next thing I know, I’m eating rather than dealing 
with the stress.
My goals this season are to ignore the annoying comments and focus on the holiday, and appreciate what I have, when so many have so little or have lost so much. Putting it in perspective makes all the petty annoyances what they are—petty.
Rebecca J. Clark, author of The Checklist Diet offered these suggestions on managing the holiday season in her December newsletter:
Stay fit during this holiday season
I would never suggest you diet or exercise obsessively this month because it’s not realistic and it’s certainly not fun! With that, here are some simple suggestions to keep fit and healthy during this crazy time of year.
Drink your water
If you’re dehydrated at all, you’ll drag. Aim for 8 glasses a day.
Treats
If you really want a treat, have it, but eat an apple first. Sometimes, we reach for a treat just because it’s there. Eating an apple first may keep you from mindlessly eating everything in sight. At the very least, you’ll get some extra fiber in your diet.
Break a sweat for 10 minutes every day
Yes, every day. Yes, you can do 10 minutes. Yes, you can do more if you want to. Walk, run, dance, clean house vigorously, walk quickly through the mall, whatever. Do 20 pushups against the wall/counter/floor, 20 sit and stands, 20 jumping jacks, 20 bicycle crunches. 2x. Every day. Okay, you can take one day off a week.
Eat Regularly
- Eat three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
- Snack between if you’re hungry. Don’t skip meals. Don’t save all your calories for dinner.
- Eat only when you’re hungry. Stop when you are satisfied.
- Eat at least one big serving of a green vegetable every day (not loaded with butter, cream sauce or cheese, please).
Enjoy the season!!!!
Rebecca has offered very sound advice that I intend to incorporate into my holiday celebrations, so that come January, I don’t feel I need to lose 10 pounds. And another plus will be, my New Year’s Resolution won’t be losing weight.
Do you have holiday goals? What are they?