Holiday Blues Begone: Your Guide to a Joyful and Healthy Season
Happy November, Warriors! October went by in a flash and Thanksgiving is already knocking! I'm sure you have been faced with the same question as the rest of us: what are your plans for the holidays?
For most of us, this is the start to a long-winded rundown of our itinerary involving traveling, baking, hosting, family, and any number of crafts, activities or traditions with the kids. Not to mention still keeping our regular duties ticking along with cleaning, groceries, work, and shuttling kids back and forth between sporting events.
I personally LOVE the holiday season, but even for me these couple of months can be highly chaotic and stressful. Between all the activities, social commitments and celebrations, taking care of you and what your body needs to feel good sinks to the bottom of the priority list, leaving you feeling tired, sluggish, bloated, and foggy-brained for 6-8 weeks.
But imagine with me a holiday season where you had enough energy to enjoy the festivities, where you weren't weighed down by the stress of managing everything, where you step into the New Year feeling your best, already on your way to tackling your goals!
That scenario doesn't have to just be imaginary anymore! Introducing Warrior Fit Academy's Holiday Health Survival Guide! This ebook is an incredible resource for women wanting to celebrate the holiday season in style while feeling their absolute best AND having fun! This blog post will touch on all the topics covered in the guide, but for more in-depth worksheets, instructions, recipes and more, make sure you snag your free copy before the holidays!
Mindful Eating Strategies
One of the biggest challenges around the holidays is the proximity of so many rich foods. From open buffets to platters of treats and homemade gingerbread cookies, sparkling wine and rich chocolates, it's a time of indulgence and decadence. And it's EVERYWHERE, all the time.
With so much within reach, it's that much easier to continuously graze, munch and nibble throughout the day. And since you're always snacking, you don't feel like eating a filling nutritious meal, leading to more snacking later in the day. It's a vicious cycle that can last for weeks, leaving the best of us in a food coma.
Learning some mindful eating strategies can help prevent this destructive cycle. There are many strategies outlined in detail in the Holiday Survival Guide, but a few include things like eating your planned meal before going to a holiday event, focusing on adding fruits and vegetables to your plate first, giving yourself permission to stop eating when you're satisfied, not stuffed, and placing your satisfaction from the celebration in the socializing, not the snacking.
The holidays come with lots of emotions in tow: stress, excitement, depression, and anxiety are all extremely common emotions during this time. They are also extremely common triggers for emotional eating. Knowing your triggers and having a strategy in place will help equip you to manage your emotional state without using food as a crutch.
And finally, family traditions often center around food or drink: from grandma's famous apple crisp to the classic gingerbread house decorating competition, or the seemingly never ending fridge of alcoholic drinks, it can be hard to know how to participate in these beloved family moments when you're focused on healing your body from the inside out.
The WFA Holiday Survival Guide walks you through some questions designed to help you navigate these difficult balancing acts, but if I can leave you with one thought here it's this: Don't get so caught up in tracking every crumb that you forget what the holidays are all about: having fun and making memories with friends and family! There are some things you can think about and take into account to help offset these traditions, which the guide covers, but you don't need to have such an all or nothing mindset that it prevents you from participating where it matters.
Stay Active: Conquer Those Holiday Blues
The best thing you can do in this season is move your body as much as possible! This may look like moving your workouts from the gym to your living room. It may look like pressing pause on your normal workout routine but prioritizing going for a walk every day.
Staying active can help you retain your strength during this time away from your normal routine. It also helps your body balance out the additional food you may be eating and keeping your metabolism steady. And last but not least, regularly moving your body has been shown to help improve mental health. If you are one who struggles with the holiday blues, try prioritizing movement every day this season!
Pro tip: schedule activities for the whole family that will encourage active movement: things like skating, sledding, hiking or biking (depending on weather and location) can not only be great activities to get you moving, but may also turn out to be some of the best memory makers for your family. Who knows, you might just start a new family favorite tradition!
Taking Care of You: Self-Care on the Go
Managing stress is one of the best skills you can learn for your health! Stress is a major negative contributor to your health: it increases the chance of heart issues and blood pressure issues, not to mention weight gain/retention, poor mental health, and much more. The WFA Holiday Survival Guide gives you multiple stress management techniques for every situation: from guided meditation scripts to a multitude of breathing techniques and quick tips for prioritizing self-care.
It also includes tips for getting better sleep, establishing healthy boundaries when you struggle to say no, setting realistic expectations, and more. As Alexander Graham Bell said, "Preparation is the key to success." Go into the holiday season confident that you have all the tools you need to make it a happy, healthy, and memorable time for you and your family.
Strive for Success Over Survival
The holidays come with their own unique set of challenges. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed, stressed and helpless, but I want you to know that first, you're not alone. This season is hard for so many people and for many different reasons.
Second, it doesn't have to be the same struggle every year! There are tools, techniques and tips that can help set you up for SUCCESS, not just survival! You deserve to enjoy the holidays AND feel your best at the same time. Download this incredible free resource and unlock your path to a happier, healthier holiday season.
Stressed about the holidays? Download our Holiday Survival Guide for FREE resources!
In addition to the topics I outlined above, you'll get access to:
Mindful eating strategies
Stress management exercises
Goal-setting worksheets
Healthy holiday recipes
And more! Don't wait; download the guide and start prepping for this holiday season today!
