Wellness tips to survive the holidays
The official start of winter is just around corner and with it, the holiday season. No matter your personal beliefs or religious affiliations, the next months will be filled with lots of food and drink. For you, it might be entertaining relatives from out of town, going out for fondue with friends, attending numerous office parties, navigating baked goods at work, or avoiding it all with pizza and a Netflix binge at home.
I tend to see people take one of two approaches to this season when it comes to diet and health. One is to dive in head first, consuming as much as possible with the mantra that you can start over again and “be good” in January. The other is to feel terror at every plate of cookies that comes your way; worried you will gain weight and throw away all your hard work from the past several months.
I invite you to take a different approach. Below are my five wellness tips for surviving the holidays.
Cookies happen. It’s okay.
Don’t beat yourself up every time you indulge during the holidays. It’s a festive time so why shouldn’t you enjoy yourself a bit. It doesn’t help to feel guilty every time we eat something that we think we shouldn’t. As this is a time of giving, be kind to yourself and give yourself the gift of acceptance and enjoy what the season has to offer.
Of course, if you have a serious health issue and must follow a specific diet, then keep to it. Have people over to your place instead so you control the food. If you are eating out, let friends, family, and restaurants know ahead of time what you need. Don’t be shy! Your health is important.
Don’t overdue it. (Genius, right?)
Seriously. There is a difference between having a second helping of your favourite dish, and hoovering everything in your path. Believe me, I’ve done the latter more than I care to admit, so I get it. We are surrounded by food and snacks all the time that continually test our willpower. We are not made of stone so it is easy to succumb.
Remind yourself that there will still be treats tomorrow or next week; you don’t have to eat everything today. Don’t stand or sit by the buffet at the party. Move the plate of cookies away from your desk at work, and keep some fruit nearby. Don’t buy or bake goodies for the house except when you have company coming. And don’t beat yourself up if you mess up!
Stay active.
It is easy to fall out of our exercise routine in the autumn and winter. It’s cold, rainy, snowy, and dark. But it is really important to stay active and keep up a routine. Take the time to plan a new routine for winter.
Can’t get up in the morning? Exercise at lunch. Too cold or wet outside? Go to the gym, take more yoga classes or find an indoor rock climbing facility. Create a plan and then create a contingency plan if you end up not following your first plan. (What, you think I don’t know what happens??)
Exercise is probably not going to burn every extra calorie you may be eating during this time, but it will help keep you fit, improve your mood and help manage your appetite – all of which may prevent you from overindulging too much.
Plan healthy meals.
If you are eating out a lot or having people over frequently for big heavy meals, manage the rest of your meals wisely.
Healthy soups, stews and Buddha bowls are great ways to have complete, nutrient-rich, high-fiber meals that are satisfying and comforting. If you want to add something more, then make a hearty salad with young leafy greens, beans, sprouts and your favourite vegetables.
At the end of this article are links to some of my favourite recipes. Take the time to find simple healthy dishes that you and your family like. Maybe you will even create new mealtime traditions around the quieter days of the season.
And don’t forget breakfast! Warm oatmeal or Avocado toast are great ways to start a cold day.
Eating regular, healthy meals will also make it easier to avoid temptation.
Add games and other activities to your gatherings.
Not every gathering has to be focused on food. Plan a hike or other outdoor activity. Play card or board games at your party. If some people don’t know each other, then introduce a fun way for everyone to get to acquainted. Find ways to enjoy the day or evening without having to have a plate in your hand.
And for all you good hosts and hostesses, my next suggestion borders on the sacrilege. Don’t keep pushing food and drink on your guests! We see the food and are thankful for all your efforts. But we might be trying to moderate our intake. Constantly pushing us just makes us feel guilty and obligated to eat and drink more than we might want – even if you have provided healthy alternatives. I get that people should feel comfortable to dig in and sometimes it takes a little push to get things started, but beyond that you are just bullying us, even if done with love.
A few of my favourite recipes for winter
Beet, Ginger and Coconut Milk Soup
Chana Dal with Cauliflower and Coconut Milk
Finally
As with many aspects of health and wellness, the above recommendations all work better together than separately. If you can take the time to plan a party or organize a project at work, you can take some time to prepare yourself for the holiday season. You are worth the effort – I promise.
Do you have additional tips and suggestions? What are your favourite healthy meals for winter?
