During the winter seasons it is always easy to overindulge. Be it because of the stress or parties or the cooler weather, we all feel the need to over eat and just try to find reasons to celebrate at this time of the year. And while some spontaneous change is needed for our body and spirit, at the end of the day our bodies are grumpy old men who thrive off boring routine and middle of the road ways. I don't know about you, but I found it especially disappointing when I realized what my body wanted was consistency and routine, how boring! But this doesn't mean you can't have any fun over the holiday season, here are a few tips on how to have your cake and eat it too!
1- Give yourself grace, but don't abandon the gym
The single best thing you can do for yourself is to give yourself at least 20 minutes of activity a day. That being said, with running around, shopping, wrapping presents, cooking and decorating, your activity might just look a little different this time of year. Combined with inclement weather putting restraints on outdoor exercise, we can end up missing a few days at the gym. It is important not to beat yourself up over these issues but also not just throw in the towel. Perhaps you know that one week is going to be especially tough for you so consider cutting in half your efforts. Allow yourself to do this, do not drag yourself over the coals. The important thing is not to abandon your work entirely, anything worth doing is worth doing just a little. Why I say this is because if we set our goals too high for ourselves in these high stress times we not only run the risk of exercising while exhausted and thus injuring ourselves, we also may end up getting nihilistic on ourselves when we are overwhelmed and completely abandon the routine we worked so hard to create. Avoid burn out by giving yourself an abbreviated goal for these weeks.
2- Watch your drinks
Back in the ballet, we were always taught we could have a cocktail at dinner or a dessert but not both. Reason being is that there is a lot of sugar and calorie in alcohol even those that advertise themselves as diet friendly. Overindulging in alcohol also lowers inhibitions and can allow for easily overeating once you feel “in the spirit”. Holiday drinks like crema, eggnog and coquito also are heavily laden in fat and sugar, they are desserts within themselves. Of course this does not mean to avoid indulgence, but choose wisely and keep track. If you have problems remembering, there are even apps that you can use to keep track of how much and what you drink so you can keep a better record for yourself. Food amnesia as it can be called in the nutrition world extends to alcohol as well.
3- Give away leftovers
At the end of your party you may see tons of food leftover. Prepare for this by getting to go restaurant style boxes for your guests and encouraging them to take home a plate or two. That way you avoid wasting food or eating too much leftovers out of guilt and your guests get to enjoy your meal again as well! Further prep against food waste by getting a good headcount before the party so you don't over cook for the amount of people coming to your house.
4- Don't forget the reason
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle it is easy to get lost in keeping up with goals, creating the holiday for your children and loved ones and just in general over stretching yourself trying to keep up with the standard you have set for yourself. This is all fine and good but be sure to give yourself plenty of time to actually enjoy the season. Be gentle on yourself so when you finally sit down you can enjoy yourself. If this time of year holds a religious significance for you, be sure to clear away enough time in your calendar for quiet contemplation or ceremonies that are important to you. It is always important to remember the reason why we are going through all of this, it isn't to keep up with the neighbors or to show off our perfect lives on social media, it is to be here in the moment with our family and loved ones. Perhaps the holidays will look a little bit different this year, but the emotions and the reasons for them are the same. No matter how stresses or overworked you get it, remember the reason why. Reach out to us at info@bullionite.com with any questions or comments!