DEBORAH HOLSTEIN, for Grokker asks, “Who hasn’t had the experience of eating too much and relaxing your workout routines over the holidays?” She goes no to say that her cycle is that she gain a few pounds and then resolve to “do better” come the new year.
The holiday season, which seems to begin even before Halloween, brings with it both end-of-year work commitments and increased personal and family commitments. And as the days become shorter and the weather colder, it becomes far too easy for me to put aside the good personal wellness habits and routines I’ve developed over the year. Plus many of my family’s holiday traditions tend to center around rich comfort foods, special desserts, football watching and more-than-usual wine and cocktail consumption.
So this year, I am exploring adding some new, healthier traditions. Here are 5 ideas I found to benefit my family and me during this holiday season and into the New Year.
Start the day being mindful - During the holidays both the days and nights can be over scheduled with activities plus your sleep is impacted by either an unfamiliar (uncomfortable) bed or just overcrowding in your own home. Guests and hosts feel stressed and that mood is contagious, leading to arguments and whiny, tired children.
Starting each day with a quick, relaxing shared meditation break could be just the thing for your family, and even the children will benefit. Put on one of the 5-10 minute introductory guided meditations from Grokker expert Mark Coleman on your living room TV (here’s how) and ask everyone to try it out. I guarantee, everyone’s day will start off on a better note.
Food does not improve your mood, exercise does - When stress levels rise, it’s tempting to turn to our personal “comfort food” of choice in order to feel better. And for me, a few of my comfort foods are even more plentiful and accessible during the holidays (nom, nom pumpkin bread).
Before you dive into the fattening snacks, remember that science has now proven that comfort food does not improve your mood. But guess what does help you…exercise improves your mood, concentration, and creativity. It may be harder to find the time to get to the gym, or it’s too cold for a walk or run, so an at home workout can be just the thing. Yoga is for everyone and perfect for a multi-generational family to do together. Any of Grokker Expert Siri Peterson’s Beginner Yoga videos could work and it may even jump start Grandma’s own yoga habit.
Hide exercise into Family Fun time - Family fun time traditions during the holidays doesn’t have to comprise just binge watching Scandal on Netflix or sleeping outside the mall on Black Friday. Anything that gets your family moving benefits their mood and their overall health.
Try a Turkey Trot or Santa Run near you. Many cities have a 5K/10K walk/run on Thanksgiving morning or a weekend right before Christmas. If you exercise together before a holiday meal, you’ll all likely be more mindful of what and how much you consume, plus you can splurge guilt-free on your favorite holiday treat.
And if you can’t get outside because of the weather, your family may love moving and shaking to a video like Latin Dance or Funk Dance or even Hip Hop Dance — they don’t have to know it’s a cardio workout too!
Swap in a smoothie for a snack - Leftovers from holiday dinners can be great, but be mindful to not snack your way to eating another big holiday meal (including dessert) for days after Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Instead, swap in a smoothie at snack time. Smoothies are fun to make and enjoyed by everyone of all ages. This Grokker Wellness Team’s collection of Delicious Smoothies is a great place to get inspired. Watch the videos together and pick your favorites to blend and make over the holiday season.
Kick start your New Year’s Resolutions in December – don’t wait for January = Finally, why not start a family tradition of jump starting your resolutions to start in December, not January. Because you know that building personal wellness habits are the way to live healthier and feel happier. And generally, the newest fad diets or expensive gym memberships that many jump into every January 2nd, aren’t sustained into the Spring.
Encourage each other to set achievable goals like practicing yoga 2x week, trying a new workout routine like HIIT or Kickboxing or even just cooking more at home.
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