Holiday

Rev your engine…the holiday season is here!
It’s very easy to drive your goals right into a ditch during the holiday season. There are so many stressors around to be dealt with or seemingly ignored depending on your personality. For most there are deadlines for the end of year at work, dealing with family drama or perhaps a sense of loss during this season. When you pair that with endless baked goods lying around, parties to attend every weekend, colder temperatures and less hours in the daylight your goals can get lost in the traffic. With emotions running high, a lack of energy and poor food choices at every turn it’s very easy to crash. One of these alone would be tough enough to notice and address but once you’re in the ditch it’s hard to see your way back on to Wellness Avenue.
Step one is to put yourself first! If you are responding yes to parties that make you break out into cold sweats, just say NO it’s okay to skip it. If you can’t go out for drinks after work because that means you miss your workout it’s okay to be honest. Say something like “I would love to come and spend time with everyone but I have an appointment I can’t miss”.
If parties make you throw eating limitations out the window go in with a plan. Bring a safe appetizer with you so you know you have something to pick on. Remind yourself that you are there to visit with people not food. I know that sounds ridiculous but in all reality it’s very easy to consume a full days worth of calories inside of two hours if you’re not careful about choices. If you know that you have zero will power and can’t manage to control the eating at the very least always opt for water. I have never been to a party where water was not being served. Water can save you thousands of calories throughout a night by both filling your stomach to give you the temporary satiation you’re seeking and by replacing sugary options like alcohol and sodas.
When you are at work feeling stressed try to avoid the staff lounge. I know for myself the lounge will hold what I call “unnecessary calories”. What I mean by unnecessary calories is food that will bring you no real benefit. Cookies, cakes, donuts, coffee, pretzels and the like do not support your body function in the way you want it to. I am all for indulging but do it with high quality ingredients, make sure you really treat yourself. Bring your lunch to your desk every day or take yourself out to a place you know you won’t go wrong. But don’t put yourself in a position to make poor choices.
If you were a luxury car that required premium gasoline would you pull up to the pump and fill it up regular? Your body is far more important than any car on the market and is meant to last a very long time. Stop filling it with regular products and make sure you invest in yourself by making a few decisions every day to put yourself first. Even during the hustle of the holiday season please don’t forget your own importance!
     -Eileen