Christmas Holiday Survival Guide

We all know the holiday season can be taxing, hectic and stressful, not only physically & financially but emotionally as well. Here are a few simple tips to help ease you through this season while keeping your health & emotions intact:

 

      • Start Smart: eat a nutritious & healthy breakfast that will fuel the furnace that contains protein, good fat and complex carbohydrates (like this delicious egg dish on sweet potato toast). If you find yourself running out the door, be sure to grab at least a smoothie for the road. Load it up with spinach, blueberries, 1/2 banana, chia seeds, flax seeds, a scoop of protein powder or nuts & your choice of liquid (water, coconut, nut milk or coconut water).

 

      • Arrive to parties satisfied: don’t show up to events hungry or ravenous. If you have something in your belly already, you’re more likely to make smarter choices, rather than gnawing on anything in sight to fill the void.

 

      • Bring your own dish: bring something that you know is healthy and to your liking and munch on it  while you share it with the group.

 

      • Use a small plate: avoid the temptation of building a monument on a large plate. Smaller plate = smaller portions; allowing you to return for seconds for the dishes that are worthy.

 

      • Pace yourself: indulge of course, but do so in moderation. Pick an event or meal and allow yourself free reign; avoid the temptation to over indulge at every gathering you attend.

 

      • Introduce new healthy traditions: create your own new healthy spin on old traditions like “grandma’s marshmallow salad”. Your new tradition can be a family hike or donating to a local community cause, food bank or shelter. Consider giving your time to a local shelter or animal rescue facility.

 

      • Get outside: even though the temperature dips during this time of the year in our part of the world. Go outside and enjoy the nature that surrounds you. Go for a winter stroll, walk, hike or dust off the snow shoes and get busy outside. The fresh air and change of scenery will renew your spirit and fire up your metabolism.

 

      • Be in the moment: sometimes we are physically in the room, but our minds are elsewhere or distracted by an electronic device. Moments pass quickly especially when we forward think to the future. Do your best to stay in the moment, and be fully present to your surroundings and people amongst you – the good, the bad and everything in between.

 

      • Set positive intentions before entering an event:   take some quiet time before entering an event (even if it’s only a minute or two), clear your mind and focus on the intention you’d like to invoke as you enter the gathering, then envision how you’d like interactions with others to feel. Be clear on your intention and the vibes that you intending to emit. Remember everyone has something they can teach us.

 

      • Focus on presence rather than presents: fortunately more and more people are understanding Christmas is not about gathering, giving or acquiring more things, it’s about spending quality time with loved ones and spreading the magic of the season. As loved ones (and perhaps ones not so loved) gather around you this holiday season, acknowledge & be grateful for their presence.

 

      • Give a priceless gift: the greatest commodity we have is time. So the best gift you can give to someone you care about is your time. Consider sharing an experience with them. Do something together, plan an event or outing (here are few healthy options for fun events) or make them something you know they’d enjoy that money can not buy. Most of the things that fill peoples hearts are simple moments or feelings, not things.

 

Take a deep breath and go shine as bright as all of the twinkly Christmas lights and share your healthy radiance, my friend.

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