♫ It’s the most wonderful time of the year ♪…..

I don’t know about you, but the holiday season is one of my favourite times of the year.

I love the special faith traditions and family customs that have been passed down through the generations – especially the English traditions that I still uphold and continue sharing those treasured traditions with my own family all these years.

I love the time spent with my children and grandchildren as well as with the special people in my life. It’s also a special opportunity to reflect on special memories created with loved ones who’ve passed on. For our family, this includes my own parents and in-laws.

The older I get, the more precious that time spent with family and friends becomes.

It IS the holidays, and with them comes feasts, festivities and social activities that often involves food excess. Coupled with the busyness of the season, it’s easy to slip off track with our health goals, miss our dates at the gym and indulge a little.

The biggest holiday hurdle: all the delicious food.

I totally get it. Holidays are a blend of food, family and friends. And it’s not just the delicious turkey with all the fixings that throws us off our wellness game.

My weakness has always been the desserts.

In the past, all restraints were off and I’d eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. It was the HOLIDAYS, goshdarnit!

I’ve come a long way since then, and even with all my knowledge, I still indulge a little around the holidays. The good news is, I’ve come up with a plan that helps me through it all without derailing my good health intentions.

Let’s be honest. The holiday season, while very special to the majority of us, can also be one of the most stressful times of the year with all the shopping, food prep and baking, extra activities, gatherings, work functions, and so on.

So, here’s a tip:

This season, decide to take a different approach to celebrating so you don’t end up feeling like you’ve undone all your hard work throughout the year in these last few weeks.

With a plan and a few simple strategies, you’ll start the New Year without having to get your health in order again. It’s a vicious cycle many of us repeat.

You might be asking; how do I change that? How can I better stay on track through the holiday season?

Start Here:

Ask yourself what’s most important to you during the holidays.

How do you want to feel throughout them?

• Do you want to feel rested and full of energy so you can really enjoy your children, grandchildren, and all of the festivities?
• Do you want to feel lighter and comfortable in your clothes?
• Do you want savor every moment with loved ones and still enjoy all the festive food?

I ask myself these questions on a regular basis but especially during the holiday season and into the New Year.

Here are my best tips to help you stay on track with your goals and feel more in control over the holidays (and STILL enjoy all the yummy festive treats):

1. Walk It Off

Instead of just lounging all day waiting for the big meal to arrive on the table, go for a walk.

My favorite way to start Christmas Day is with a morning walk. It helps to set the tone for the day, get my thoughts in order and it feels great to start the day with some fresh air and the lovely scents and to feel of the crisp chilly air on my face. Invigorating!

2. Eat Your Breakfast

You may think you’re helping “save some calories” by not eating breakfast and ‘saving room’ for all that feasting that’s sure to come later but skipping your meals actually works against you.

It leaves you ravenous by the time you get to that big festive meal.

What happens next? You’ll overeat!

Rather than stuffing yourself just like that turkey at dinner, enjoy a healthy breakfast choice. Follow that up with a hearty salad for lunch (depending on what time you eat, of course).

These measures keep your blood sugar balanced so you’re not a hungry monster at the buffet, and you’ll be more in control to make great choices at the dinner table when you’ve supported your health all day with nutritious choices.

3. Get Enough Sleep

Too much, too little, poor quality, or disrupted sleep is very common around the holiday season.

Experts recommend that we set a specific time to go to bed and get up each day – and stick to those times, even on weekends, holidays and during vacation.

It’s not just about the amount of time you sleep. Getting quality sleep is what’s vital and often lacking.

If you’re one of the millions who’s challenged to fall asleep – and stay blissfully asleep the whole night through – so your body actually gets the benefits of that deep rejuvenating slumber, I’d love to help. Contact me privately for my Sleep Well guide.

4. Avoid Dehydration

Let’s face it: many of us just don’t drink enough water.

With the busyness of everyday life, and especially during the holiday season, many of us don’t consume enough water.

According to a recent study, more than 70% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration. Aside from leaving you thirsty, this can also prove damaging to your overall health and mental focus.

The good news is that it’s simple to stay properly hydrated if you’re conscious of your water intake to keep that extra pep in your step through the busy holidays.

Here are some of the holiday benefits to staying hydrated:

• Drinking water helps prevent a holiday hangover
• Your skin will look healthier for holiday photos
• You can turbocharge your metabolism
• You’ll fight off holiday sniffles
• Staying hydrated fights bad breath
• Staying hydrated supports your weight loss goals

As you can see, drinking enough water every day is very important. Staying hydrated will help you feel healthier and more energized for all of your planned holiday festivities.

5. Perfect Your Portions

When filling your plate, load it up with veggies first (aim for ½ your plate) and then add the rest.

When you make the majority of your plate veggies, you’ll feel fuller without feeling overstuffed. Plus, that gives you room to enjoy that dessert you’ve been eyeing.

6. Savor the Desserts

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When we treat the holiday meals as a free license to eat everything on the dessert table, our healthy lifestyle efforts are thrown out the window.

To combat this, be prepared with your plan.

There’s no need to skip your grandma’s award-winning pumpkin pie but avoid becoming uncomfortably full with the main meal so you have room to enjoy a small piece of that special treat.

If you see multiple delicacies that you’d like to try – there’s no reason to deprive yourself. Take bite-sized samples of each rather than entire slices. Sit and truly savor them. Or share them with a friend or your partner so you can both indulge.

Absolutely enjoy those holiday desserts you see just a few days each year. But having a few boundaries to follow will help you stay committed to your healthy lifestyle goals without sacrificing any enjoyment.

7. Let Go And Enjoy Yourself

Does it really matter is your house isn’t perfect, if the gifts aren’t all perfectly wrapped, or even if the turkey is a tad bit dry? (gasp)

These aren’t the things you should be worrying about.

Our family, friends and loved ones are more interested in spending time together than the house, gifts, or believe it or not…even the state of the turkey.

If everything isn’t quite perfect, be assured, the house isn’t going to fall down around you, your guests will still enjoy themselves and Santa will still delight the children.

Learn to not let these little things bother you. Take a deep breath and avoid the stress triggers that often occur around the holidays. Learn to prioritize and do what you’re able to do each day.

The main thing: Enjoy every moment of THIS party to the fullest.

Granting yourself some grace to go with the flow and embrace your human imperfections will make the experience more enjoyable, and more successful.

The holidays should be a time for family and friends – and joy and peace.

What will you do to make sure you have plenty of fun this holiday season?

Here’s my biggest tip:

Don’t Overdo It. Avoid the starving and stuffed extremes and you’ll win the health game this holiday season.

Now, it’s your turn:

What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

Mine is the precious time I share with my grandchildren, baking our English traditional foods plus ‘making’ my family pull English crackers and wear the silly hats they contain, and telling the silly jokes that are in there.

Reply and let me know your favorite holiday tradition(s) in the comments below. I love reading what others hold dear to their hearts during the holidays.

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If you’d like some help setting up your Win the Holidays Health Strategy, and stay on track for your wellness goals, without overindulging and losing control through the festivities, then I’d love to chat.

Contact me to schedule your FREE “Healthy-For-The-Holidays” Strategy Chat. This is a Zero Obligation call and by the end of it, you’ll have some solutions tailored just for you to help you glide through the holidays guilt, stress, and anxiety-free. How awesome would that be?

How? Simply reply to this email and put “Healthy-For-The-Holidays” Strategy Chat in the subject line, or email me at lwadsworth@verizon.net.

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