Your Holiday Survival Guide
As I was training a client in her online workout today, we were swapping our Thanksgiving stories and commiserating on how much rich food we had been eating lately. I shared with my client that I have basically been living off of my homemade mac and cheese and holiday sugar cookies- which is true- and that I was choosing to focus on more on maintaining a daily exercise routine rather than restricting my calories at this time of year. Enjoying the rich balance of all that life has to offer is a principal that I coach my clients to practice. Especially at this time of year, I want to share with you my coaching practices for finding a sense of balance in your life.
I believe that exercise and nutrition are health behaviors that add quality years to your life; allow you to live more comfortably in your body; and that everyone can and should have a routine of healthy habits of their own. That being said, I also coach clients who live in the real world, are short on time, and shorter on energy to rearrange their entire lives around a workout. The holiday season offers perfect examples of the types of barriers to achieving our wellness goals that truly exist all year round, but are more concentrated during this busy season. Changes in routines, travel, and different food environments (think: the holiday goodies lurking in your office break room, the food/booze gifts that are in your home right now, and the holiday meal leftovers) all get in the way of feeling our best at this time of year. Side note: it’s no wonder why we are more susceptible to getting sick at this time of year- healthy foods and exercise are natural immune-boosters, and without those our bodies are left at risk of catching an opportunistic cold. The point is, the acute stressors that are brought on at the start of the holiday season are really just the same old barriers to success that there have always been: we feel that we need more time, more energy, more motivation than we currently have. But that is just it- it doesn’t take a fancy piece of gym equipment or a studio class membership to start feeling better and building a fitness routine. Starting where you are with what you have will always be the best solution to breaking through those obstacles. Read on for a few strategies that you can start practicing today!
It is important to have an intuitive approach to fitness and nutrition, to learn to listen to your body so that you can give it what it needs when it needs it. Learning to manage your expectations is a big part of that process, which means knowing when to push yourself and when to rest. The winter months are nature’s time of rest and renewal, when the days are shorter and the colder weather encourages us to spend more time indoors. It is only natural that we, as a part of our own yearly cycle, use this time of year to focus on restoration and renewal. Staying consistent with movement while leaving plenty of time for restorative activities like walking, stretching, and taking warm saunas are all activities that reflect nature’s rhythm during this time of year.
The holidays are a time to enjoy moments with loved ones and all that comes with those rituals. Making plans to savor our favorite dishes should be honored as a special part of the season. I find that making a plan to also include lean proteins and plenty of fruits and vegetables makes it easier for me to enjoy those special holiday treats while also making sure my body feels good. Eating too much rich foods without including fiber from whole veggies and fruits will leave us feeling bloated, fatigued, and unmotivated to move our bodies. If we front-load our plates with fiber and lean protein, we will still be able to enjoy our favorite foods without having a food hangover later.
If you are struggling to find balance, especially at this time of year, remember that progress really does happen one small step at a time. Adopt a long-term mindset, and try any of the strategies provided in this article with the mindset that these are behaviors that you are going to need to maintain for life; allow enough flexibility to go with the flow of the season, while also giving your body the nourishment and movement to feel your best, all year round.