It is easy to lose ground during the holidays when there are many competing demands for your time and attention. Here is an idea for maintaining the overall big picture and getting a better grip on your health and self care:
List some routine activities that nurture your mental, emotional, and physical heath- you will want to list at least one thing for each category. For example, yoga, mediation, journaling, a bike ride, eating 3 healthy meals, no alcohol, or cardio. Pick what you value and what is realistic for you. Keep track with a list or spreadsheet, and give yourself credit for what you can accomplish. Watch the trends as the days go by. If you've missed a few workouts, make it a priority the next day; if you had drinks a couple nights in a row, skip it for the next couple days. You probably won't be able to do everything every day. But by mindfully choosing to balance your choices over time, you will do a better job taking care of yourself. The Holiday Challenge provides a structure for keeping track of your progress on these kinds of goals over 6 weeks. You get points for each things you accomplish, with a weekly target and accountability to you coaches and Holiday Challenge community. And there is so much more! Join us today to start on Nov 24. Did you know that a typical Thanksgiving dinner can have more than 3,000 calories*?! If you carry on indulging like that through to January, it's not hard to guess what will happen to your waistline!
As we enter the holiday season, here are 5 tips to make it through in a healthy way: 1. Indulge in food, but not all the time. We all want to celebrate with great food, drink, and the people we love. But that doesn't mean letting go of all sensibility. If you have a string of parties to attend, choose fruit over cake every other night. Limit yourself to one plate of food. Cut back on the carbs. Bring a healthy dish. Don't starve yourself before the party. 2. Set some guidelines for yourself around socializing. If you get stressed out by all the family, work, and social obligations during the holiday, decide which events, and how many, you want to attend. Send your holiday greetings and your regrets to all the rest. You won't like feeling trapped at a party you didn't want to attend in the first place, and if you aren't comfortable, you may compensate by drinking more. If you agree to a party out of obligation, give your host a heads up, in advance, that you need to leave early. Then do it. 3. Get enough sleep and exercise on a regular basis. This helps you keep your energy level, metabolism, and mood elevated, helping you make smarter choices. It is also much easier to maintain a fitness and nutrition plan than to let it fall apart and then start all over again in the new year. And water- drink plenty of water! 4. Carve out some "me" time. Whether it's yoga, meditation, writing, drawing, hiking, biking, or birdwatching, set aside some time each day (or every couple of days) just for you. Stay connected to the little things that bring you joy, and you will feel some of your holiday stress melt away. 5. Make a plan. Plan ahead to make sure you can really fit everything you want to do into the holidays. We can feel so much pressure to "do it all" and be everywhere, all at once. You will find yourself more relaxed and more present if you mindfully choose the way you will spend your time, rather than being swept away with everyone else's plans for you. If you need support in any of these areas, or want to join an awesome community moving mindfully through the holidays, join the Holiday Challenge today. We start Nov 24. *https://caloriecontrol.org/popular-holiday-dishes/ I bet you already know that exercise produces many positive benefits, including better health, mood, sleep, sex, and brain function. But did you know that these benefits are transferred from a mother to her baby? A 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology showed that children of women who exercised during pregnancy had more mature brains than those whose mothers were inactive during pregnancy.
I am committed to helping the Fuerte community live a healthy whole life, and that of course includes having children and raising your family. You don't have to give up working out when you are pregnant, or after your baby is born. I love working with moms (and dads!) through this time of transition. Before and after my daughter was born, exercise was key to my well-being. I would love to support you in starting or continuing a fitness program, contact me for details. We all know that sleep is essential, and a good night's sleep will set you up to feel good and have a more productive day. Scientists have several theories about why we sleep. One theory suggests that being inactive at night, when we are more vulnerable, is advantageous for our safety. Another theory is based on the fact that our metabolism slows when we sleep; sleeping helps us conserve our energy, especially when foraging for food is less efficient. These theories may lead you to think- hey, in today's modern world, I can be safe at all hours and my fridge is full of food. So it should be fine to shrug off sleep so I can get more done every day!
Other sleep theories (as well as your life experience when sleep deprived!) tell us that sleep plays more important roles in our health and well-being. Some are based on evidence that found restorative functions, such as muscle growth, tissue repair, and hormone release happen mostly (or only) during sleep. Sleep also improves our cognitive function and alertness. The brain plasticity theory suggests that sleep plays a critical role in brain development and formation of neural pathways. Sleep deprivation is also known to negatively impact our learning and performance. It can also lead to harmful health outcomes in the long-term. The exact answer to "Why do we sleep?" remains unknown. Scientists continue to study the brain and sleep to improve our understanding of this mysterious, yet, essential, daily activity. After all, we spend close to 1/3 of our lives asleep! The optimal amount of sleep varies from person to person, so pay attention to your sleep patterns, the foods and drinks that enhance or disrupt your sleep, and create a comfortable and relaxing environment in your bedroom. Try going to bed and waking up around the same time each day. Experiment with light levels, temperature, white noise, and other variables to induce that wonderful great night of sleep we all crave. For more, visit https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters Today I am drawing inspiration from Frida Kahlo. Unapologetic and authentic, Kahlo's depictions of herself communicate self-love. We can't all paint such striking self-portraits, but we can take a leaf from her book and use our reflection as a way to practice self-love.
This week, I challenge you to spend a few minutes a day looking at yourself in the mirror. As you look, accept the person you see, without mentally erasing or improving any aspect of yourself. Tell yourself "I love you." Extend love and compassion to yourself. See what happens if you can carry this with you throughout the day. For more thoughts, listen to my podcast episode on self-love. |
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