Holiday Survival Tips from Warrior Fit: Mindful Eating, Home Workout, and More
Hey all! Last week I wrote about the topics in my WFA Holiday Survival Guide. If you haven’t had a chance to download it yet, I wanted to show you some of the practical tips in this guide that will help prepare you for the best holiday season of your life! We’ll cover a couple mindful eating strategies, tips for staying active during this busy season, and how to manage your stress in healthy ways. The tips in today’s blog are just the tip of the iceberg (see what I did there?) so make sure you download this free e-book to get all the resources you need to guide you through the next few months!
Tips for Mindful Eating
A majority of people eat without being mindful of what they’re consuming, how much they’re eating, and how it’s actually making them feel. A really powerful tool to use this holiday season is mindful eating, which can be achieved in a number of different ways! Being intentional about what you’re putting in your body and how it’s affecting you can help prevent you from overeating, eating things that you don’t actually enjoy, or participating in the “holiday grazing” where you’re constantly snacking but never actually hungry, leaving you feeling bloated and sluggish.
Mindful eating allows you to enjoy the treats and special holiday foods without feeling like crap afterward. Here are two simple tactics you can put into practice this season:
#1 - Pace Yourself
Imagine you’re at a holiday event (Thanksgiving at grandmas, your church’s local Christmas potluck, a holiday work dinner, etc.). In front of you are multiple tables of appetizers, desserts, and family-favorite dishes. Before you hop in line, take a minute to look over what all is available, and choose your top three foods. Skip over things that you can go without, and prioritize things that you will actually enjoy eating!
When it comes time to eat, pace yourself! Go slowly and allow yourself time to savor each bite. Take a minute to check in with your body every once in a while to assess how you’re feeling. Eat until you’re satisfied, not stuffed. I don’t know about you, but I am well-familiar with the discomfort that comes from overeating, and it’s just not worth it to me! I’d rather stop sooner and enjoy the rest of the holiday in comfort.
#2 - Combat Stress-Eating
Many people turn to comfort food and snacking when they’re stressed, and few times of the year are more stressful than the holidays! If you feel yourself reaching for a snack, ask yourself if you’re actually hungry or if you’re simply stressed. If you’re hungry, eat foods that will sustain you for a long time (things with protein and healthy fats, for example) and pair it with a small portion of whatever it is you’re craving. You’ll satisfy your hunger and your craving without restricting yourself, which can lead to binge-eating later.
If you find you’re just stressed or anxious, take a moment to practice some stress-management techniques (you can find multiple options in the Holiday Survival Guide and I’ve outlined a couple down below).
For more step-by-step tips and techniques for mindful eating, managing portion sizes and participating in food and drink-related traditions guilt-free, download the free guide! You will also receive recipes of healthy holiday treats for you to bring to your work potluck or simply to have around the house for wholesome snacking.
Tips for Staying Active
Even if you’re normally an active person, the holidays can easily disrupt your routines, filling your days with so many extra tasks and events that make going to the gym nothing but a dream. As a result, many people resign themselves to being mostly sedentary through the holiday season. They end up feeling more bloated, gaining more weight, losing hard-earned progress, and even their mental health takes a toll. By the time New Years comes around, they’re not only carrying around a few extra pounds, but also a boat load of shame at how much progress they feel they’ve lost.
While this experience may be normal, it doesn’t have to be that way! Here are two simple ideas to keep you moving despite the demands of the holiday season.
#1 Skip the Gym - Move at Home!
The simplest way to get a workout in without taking the time for a whole gym session is to embrace at-home workouts! You can find a ton of workouts to follow along with on YouTube, or you can join my free Facebook group and join me twice a week for a live 20-minute workout session! Replays are available if you can’t make it to the live.
Otherwise, here’s a simple yet effective at-home routine that you can do in 20-30 minutes with no equipment!
#2 Make it a Family Affair
A fun way to get you and the whole family moving is to make it a family bonding time! Things like skiing, ice skating and sledding are all great options if you live in an area with snow. If you’re in a milder climate, things like hiking, biking, frisbee or scavenger hunts are all fun activities to get the whole family outside and moving around. Who knows, it just might become your family’s new favorite tradition!
From November 27-January 1, I will also be hosting 2 live 20-minute workouts per week in my free Facebook group! Join the group today to access these workouts and other free resources in our Warrior community.
Tips for Stress Management
Although the holidays can be exciting and full of joy, they can also be a source of a lot of stress for all of us at one point or another. Unfortunately, most people don’t know how to properly work through and manage their stress in healthy ways, and end up either stuffing it down or turning to things like alcohol and food to self-soothe in stressful situations. Here are two tips for managing your stress this season, and make sure to download our guide for many more tools!
#1 Time Blocking
One of the things you can do to lower stress is to allocate time for all the things you need to do. I recommend setting aside twenty to thirty minutes each weekend to look at the week ahead and block off time for each of your priorities. Set reminders on your phone, put it on your calendar, and give each task a time limit. Knowing there’s a set time for each thing to do takes a lot of weight off of your mental load!
#2 Mindfulness
What is mindfulness? Mindfulness means living in the present moment. It means being intentionally more aware and awake to each moment and being fully engaged in what is happening in one's surroundings – without judgment. Here are 5 steps to mindfulness:
Let go of past and future thoughts
Accept the present moment exactly as it is
Meditate
Get in touch with your senses and body
Practice mindfulness throughout the day during routine activities (showering, driving, cleaning, etc.)
For more resources on guided meditation, managing stressful family dynamics, and different breathing techniques, grab our Holiday Survival Guide!
Empower Yourself for a Healthier, Happier Holiday Season
As a mom of two, I’m well aware of how hectic this time of year can get and just how hard it is to carve time out to focus on yourself. I made this guide to give you everything you need to be able to navigate this holiday season with joy and peace while feeling your best! In a time where so many people are depending on you for planning, organizing, baking, shuttling, and buying and wrapping gifts, taking time for yourself is not only a good idea – it’s essential. It will allow you to take care of yourself and take better care of those around you, all while enabling a smoother, more joy-filled holiday season.
Download the free Warrior Fit Holiday Survival Guide for all the tools you’ll need to survive and enjoy this year’s celebrations, and schedule a time on my calendar if you’re interested in having more hands on support. For a limited time only I’m running 25% off my 6-Week Feel Good program (use code IAMAWARRIOR at checkout)! You don’t need to spend the holidays feeling sluggish and crappy… Join today to feel your best and start your journey toward healing your body from the inside out… permanently!
Stressed about the holidays? Download our Holiday Survival Guide for FREE resources!
Get instant access to:
Meal planning templates
Workout schedules
Stress management exercises
Goal-setting worksheets
Healthy holiday recipes
And more! Don't wait; download today for a happier, healthier holiday season!
