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Five Guidelines to Holiday Wellness
by Chris Akard
The holidays are back. For most people, this means food, fun and a few extra
pounds! The weight gain can be a lot to carry going into the new year, moreover,
the millennium. So how do we cope with this inevitable cloud that lurks behind
all the festivities? You don't want to gain the weight, but you love those
colorful holiday cookies! And don't forget the great food you'll find at holiday
parties. At the same time, you want to look your best for these wonderful days.
Many of these foods and, for some, alcoholic beverages, will contribute to
stress and fatigue. This is added to an already stressful time of year. It is
quite possible that you will find yourself feeling exhausted, stuffed,
overweight and perhaps may have a bout of the holiday blues. Do not fear. There
is a solution: Focus on enjoying the holidays as much as humanly possible!
That's right. To avoid the bad aspects indicated as a result of the holidays,
it is best to find a way to enjoy the holidays to their fullest! So what's the
catch? What constitutes a great holiday? Well, we know the festivities are
enjoyable and, of course, food is present. But there is also the factor of
looking and feeling your best for these occasions. Ahh, thus the catch. Let's
look and feel the best we can for the fun times ahead.
Ideally, you can enjoy all of the holiday fun and still look and feel great.
We all know that exercise significantly reduces stress and will help us deal
with stressful situations. The holiday season is a perfect time to maintain or
even start an exercise program. Many of my clients set goals for weight loss
over the holiday season last year. Not only were the goals achieved, but they
were achieved while enjoying all that the season had to offer.
I recently heard a news report that a doctor determined for adults to avoid
weight gain over the holidays, it would be necessary to increase cardiovascular
activity from 30 minutes per day to 60 minutes per day. I tend to disagree. This
would only be necessary on the days when one actually indulges. The key is to up
your workload on or around the days that you are taking in more calories. It
doesn't have to be that hard. If you take in more, you simply need to burn more.
If this sounds good and you're motivated to keep fit and sane during the
holidays, then follow this simple list of guidelines. It will make for an
enjoyable season and you'll look great for the millennium.
Guidelines to Holiday Wellness
1. Choose only days/occasions that you would like to enjoy a holiday splurge.
Don't view this season as a ticket to a constant seven-day-per-week party of
holiday goodies. There will be plenty of occasions to indulge. Save the cookie
and brownie tray for guests and special occasions. If you have a holiday
celebration every day, weight gain is inevitable.
2. Schedule a workout on or around the day of a holiday event.
You will feel better physically and mentally. I especially like to exercise
before a holiday occasion. I feel fresh, invigorated and ready to eat guilt
free! Feeling better mentally and physically will make for an enhanced holiday
occasion and it will help you maintain your figure!
3. Schedule in days for enough sleep.
One of the main contributors to the holiday blues is a lack of sleep. This is
especially true on the evenings of parties when one goes to bed with extra
calories to digest. Alcohol consumption will also contribute to poor sleep. The
result is more fatigue and stress. Everyone is accustomed to a certain amount of
sleep. Typically, the amount of sleep decreases around the holidays. Stand firm
on certain nights that you know you just have to get some rest.
4. Don't give up exercise!
It may be likely you won't have any big fitness goals achieved over the
holidays, but whatever you do, don't quit! Many will become discouraged by the
lack of exercise they are able to achieve during the holidays. As a result, they
wait until after the new year. This is certain to bring weight gain. Doing what
you can will make for a much smaller weight gain and easier recovery. Don't
forget, you'll feel better with exercise. In this case, a little exercise will
go a long way.
5. Plan to keep fit and plan to have fun!
Ultimately, this is the key. You might expect a trainer to tell you
everything that you can't have. You may notice I have not mentioned one thing in
this whole article that you can't have! You do need to regulate. Plan it out on
a weekly basis. Make exercise decisions and look forward to the holiday
occasions, then go nuts!
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