The holidays are upon us! It is now November, and retailers have been plotting our festivities for months. It started with Halloween, will slide into Thanksgiving and then dump us into the full swirl of the season until New Year’s. Imagine all the thrilling fun of family and parties. For most of us, that can be coupled with holiday stress. By the time we sit down to New Year’s brunch, a lot of us feel fat, bloated, and exhausted. Including me. It’s time to take back the fat and be healthy and hale through the holidays so we can feel as fabulous as we look!
The key to making the most of the festive season and minimizing stress is the exact same thing that the retailers are doing. Plan plan plan! Having a game plan will make sure that most of the details are handled, you are taking of yourself, and you’ll be left to enjoy a beautiful holiday season the way you want to.
So today, start thinking about the holidays and plan our way to the best season ever. It’s not that hard, but it all revolves around one thing – your calendar.
- Keep your calendar up to date! Slot in all the parties and events you have, starting now.
- Figure out what you need for each event so you are not running around beforehand. Holiday presents, hostess gifts, costumes? List out what you need and when you need it to reduce stress.
- Eat healthily. You can (and will) indulge during the holidays, so eat light and healthy all the other times. Steam some vegetables and brown rice, have light soups and salads. Drink a glass of hemp milk; it’ll help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. Take your vitamins.
- Exercise. Just because it’s cold and you have a lot of parties does not mean you shouldn’t exercise. It’s actually the opposite. You need to exercise to burn off the rich foods you’re eating and to keep up your energy. You need to make sure you get it in, so exercise more!
- Plan your indulgences. Big party coming up? Come up with an eating strategy. Try one of each hor d’oeuvre every half hour and go back to three of your favorites. The same thing with dinners. Try everything, and limit your seconds to your absolute favorites. No thirds!
Planning doesn’t take as long as you think it does, and it will save you a lot of time and energy. Imagine finishing the holiday season with as much enthusiasm and energy as you started it. Let’s do it!