Tis indeed the season to be jolly. A time to treat yourself, have fun with friends, family and colleagues and relax. After all, you deserve it. But it’s also important to maintain balance, it would be a shame to lose all the progress you’ve made.
A few simple steps to keep your holiday indulgences under control:
1. Hidden evils
That innocent-looking glass of sparkly or beer may look harmless, but alcohol contains calories and plenty of them. Those teeny tiny canapes are jam-packed with naughties, try to have a small healthy high fat & protein meal before heading out so you’ll be less tempted to gorge.
2. “Make that 2 drinks, please”
Get into the habit of asking for a glass of water every time you order a drink. It will help reverse the dehydration effects of alcohol and reduce the chances (and severity) of a hangover.
3. Skip dessert
Everything is about moderation. What seems to happen this time of year is that we think all in or all out. We seem to over indulge in all departments in the name of Xmas but really we don’t need to go quite so far to enjoy ourselves. Normal rule, drinking alcohol- then no dessert. Eat dessert- then no wine. Easy!
4. Be strict with your routine
Plan your weekly workouts. You may not be able to train as regularly or attend your go-to classes but ensuring you sweat it out 2-3 times a week will maintain what you have workout hard for, and also keep you looking good right through Christmas and the New Year! Be open to attending new classes, new timeslots, new experiences. If possible train on the days when you will be celebrating later that day or night and commit to it in the early stage of your day. It will give you a natural and long lasting endorphin high before going out and you will feel far less guilty about indulging! We can always make time IF it’s a priority for us.
5. Time out for you
No matter what is happening each day, visits from family, going to work, daily chores take
1/2hr out of your day to do something that you personally enjoy. Not with your kids, your partner or anyone else but something you enjoy that will feel like your enjoying your own half hour of paradise.
6. Remember to breathe and look up
Here and there bring your focus back to your breathing. Take big breathes of air, relax as you exhale. Put the phone away and look up and all around you. Look at how the leaves on the tree’s move, at families interacting with each other, the way the oceans sounds, birds flying and every other natural occurrence we have. Bring yourself back into the present moment and enjoy what we have right now and here.
Kelii Grauer
25 November, 2019