SCIENCE, HEALTH
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
The holidays are super fun…. But also super stressful.
For some of us, there are many added stressors in the mix- maybe it’s a family drama, feeling overwhelmed, not having enough hours in the day, being invited to too many places…. Or maybe it’s the fear of undoing all of your hard work with holiday foods and drinks.
Maintaining healthy habits and trying to manage weight can be a challenge at any time of the year. The holiday hustle and bustle, however, can make this feel even more challenging.
Don’t fear though, maintaining your weight & overall wellness is manageable with some simple steps.
Dehydration stimulates anxiety, stress, and brain fog. Your body goes into stress mode when it doesn’t have enough water to function. This actually makes you feel hungry and reach for unsupportive foods. Stress = binging.
Drinking more water helps with brain fog, with stress, and anxiety, and will help you manage your cravings a lot better.
Aim to drink at LEAST 40-60 oz of water a day. Ideally, try to drink half of your body weight in oz of water. So if you’re 200 lbs, then aim to drink 100 oz of water a day.
If you don’t currently drink any water, then start by adding a glass or two each day. You can build from there.
Often during the holidays, we are running around keeping other people happy. It might be your kids, in-laws, friends, co-workers, or whomever… the point is that often we put ourselves last at this time of year.
So…. Instead, why not try this? Think of the healthy habits you usually practice that make you feel really great. Maybe it’s drinking lots of water, moving your body regularly, eating lots of vegetables and protein, meditating daily, or having some sacred alone time.
When you hone in on a couple of things that make you feel the most amazing and healthy, then make an agreement with yourself to DO THOSE THINGS. Just because it’s the holidays, it doesn’t mean all of your wheels need to fall off.
Yes- enjoy yourself and have some fun. That doesn’t mean you have to let go of all the things.
Main tip: focus on nourishing your mind, body, and soul daily.
The holidays are full of social events, parties, and gatherings. It feels like you’re being pulled from one place to the next, and all of these places are filled with foods and drinks you wouldn’t normally consume daily. Often they’re filled with people you wouldn’t normally want to be around daily too.
So having a plan is crucial to help you navigate this. Here are my top tips for navigating the social scene-
– Eat a nutritious meal or snack before attending events. This way you will be nourished and not hangrily grabbing for all of the food. You can enjoy a little of the festive treats and move on.
– Take your own food and drinks to events. Bring your own dishes that you feel good about eating, and drinks that you enjoy to mitigate drinking more alcohol than you’d like to. Stock up on those so you don’t get as tempted to eat as much of the things you’d like to manage.
– Have an accountability friend. Tell them your intentions for managing food and alcohol, then check in with them if you feel like you’re struggling. At Relish we have Health Coaches that provide accountability to our members.
– Don’t stand next to the food table… ever… it never goes well!
– Have an exit strategy for when you’ve had enough. Drive yourself to events. This minimizes alcohol consumption and also gives you an out whenever you are ready to go. Maybe have an excuse ready in case you want to leave early. You don’t need to be held hostage at an event, you can leave whenever you like.
The stress of the holidays can get the best of us, so find ways to look after yourself during this time. Maybe you pick up some new healthy activities or keep a hold of existing ones.
People tend to sit around a lot during the holidays, so maybe you break this by going for a walk or going to another room to meditate. Maybe you take up a new hobby that is something you love or feels relaxing.
Often we eat quickly and without paying attention to what we’re eating. The holidays are full of delicious foods that we wouldn’t normally eat, so mindlessly shoveling them into our mouths can get a bit problematic when we are trying to manage weight.
Slowing down and being present as we eat is incredibly helpful as it means we get to enjoy our food.
Chewing slowly, noticing how the food tastes and feels, and savoring every bite means that we actually end up eating less. We need much smaller portions to feel full satiation when we pay attention to what we’re eating.
Eat your holiday treats but place a portion you feel good about on your plate, and eat it sloooooowly. Really taste the food and enjoy every damn bite.
If you find yourself reaching for more and more food, even if you know you aren’t hungry, then spend some time tuning in to what else might be going on. Ask yourself-
‘What am I feeling right now?’ Maybe you’re bored, lonely, overwhelmed, stressed, in need of alone time, sad, or angry.
‘What do I really need right now?’ Maybe some alone time, to talk to a friend, to scream into a pillow, to do an activity, or to de-stress.
I wish more than anything that we could remove all of the stress in the world- but we can’t. So we’re stuck with it.
Stressors are going to affect us on a daily basis, and even more so during the holidays, and we can’t get rid of that fact. What we CAN do, however, is develop a daily practice that helps us cope with those stressors.
What helps you manage stress? Maybe it’s daily meditation, walking in nature, journaling to process swirling thoughts, or a deep breathing practice. Whatever speaks to you- start doing it DAILY.
This isn’t a one-and-done situation- we need to cultivate these practices in our lives. It might feel like a drag sometimes, but the benefits are incredible. I have been meditating daily for about a year now, and my response to stressful situations is night and day from what it was. I used to get irritable and snappy around stress, whereas now I take a second before responding. Now I respond instead of reacting. Try it for yourself- it’s wild!
Sleep is another biggie when it comes to how we are equipped to deal with the extra stress the holidays stir up. Being tired makes us way more susceptible to the effects of stress.
Make sure you give yourself about time in bed to try and get enough restful sleep. If we aren’t in bed, then we don’t have a chance to sleep. Keeping consistent times to go to bed and wake up is very helpful, as our body loves rhythms and cycles. Consistency here is key to success. If you find your mind racing, try to do a ‘mind dump’ into a journal before you go to bed, or try a guided sleep meditation as you lay down to rest.
It’s common during this time of year to think, ‘Screw it, I’ll go on a diet in January’, or ‘I can’t eat anything fun as I’m on a strict diet.’ In both of these scenarios, the food is in control- not you.
Moving away from the ‘all or nothing’ mindset can feel uncomfortable or alien, but it is possible to find balance here.
Ways to beat the all-or-nothing mindset…
– Focus on what you love the most about the holidays. Often it is time off work, time with family, or space to enjoy time with friends. The food and booze are usually secondary. So focus your energy and attention on what matters to you most.
– Often we eat food or drink alcohol out of habit. Thinking ‘this is just what we do’. It is very powerful to ask yourself- do I WANT or NEED this drink or plate of food right now? Instead of being on autopilot and going through the motions- take a second and ask yourself if you want or need it before just diving in.
You can also create new, non-food-related traditions with your family and friends too. Maybe you go for a festive walk or play some games.
– Instead of full deprivation, or throwing all caution to the wind and eating until you want to throw up, remember that it IS possible to have it all. You can enjoy your holiday foods, just do so in portions that feel good to you. Stay present and enjoy them. You can still eat supportive nutritious foods around them, and you can still work out and practice mindfulness to manage stress. Moderation is possible with presence and awareness.
So… go out there and have a fabulous and festive holiday season. You deserve some fun and to feel healthy and well as you do it!
If you need any extra support during this time, or into the new year, we have awesome health coaches on our team that can help you stay on the beam as you navigate the holidays and beyond.
Check out our membership packages below, take the quiz to see if you qualify for Relish life or join our FREE Facebook group for live tips, tricks, and motivations.
Melissa is a British-born Health Coach who knows firsthand how difficult it can be to manage the emotions that surround weight. After decades of weight control and yo-yo dieting, Melissa studied to become a Health Coach and effectively coached herself through the process. Through learning how to eat intuitively, Melissa gained a new perspective and shifted her focus from ‘dieting’ to nourishment. She also learned how to recognize and address trauma and stress in her life. The stubborn weight she had held onto for years just melted away.
Melissa LOVES to help others figure out and conquer their own personal health and wellness goals. Following a life-long enthusiasm for alternative medicine, Melissa trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where she received in-depth training in nutrition, health and wellness, and coaching skills.
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