Hey friends, I love the holidays. I love decorating, Christmas music, cooking, baking, and celebrating with friends and family. That being said, this season can be a lot. It can put tremendous strain on our mental and physical wellbeing. While I love this season, I am not willing to allow my physical and mental health to suffer for it. So here are three ways I am keeping myself sane and prioritizing my physical and mental health while still enjoying this joyful and indulgent season.
- Prioritizing Movement: This should not come as a surprise, but movement is a massive part of my physical and mental well-being. My daily movement practice keeps me sane for the other 11 months of the year; why should December be any different? I do my best to maintain my usual morning workout routine during the holidays. However, there will be times when I must be flexible, particularly when traveling. This is the best time of year to lean into quick, efficient movements (if I haven’t already sold you on them by this point). If I can’t get in a structured workout, I try to get in a walk to at least get the blood pumping and some sunshine and fresh air. Trust me, you will be thankful that you took this time, and your body and mind will thank you, too.
- Indulging when I want to Indulge: I love all the holiday foods and beverages, and I have no shame in indulging in them during this season, and you shouldn’t either. However, in between holiday gatherings, I try to maintain my routine as best as possible. This is how I live my life in general, but during the holidays, there is much more to indulge in. This means I do my best to avoid the “f$%k its.” It is easy to indulge at a holiday dinner and think the rest of the month should be treated like a free-for-all. When I do this, I don’t feel good. So, I try to stick to my daily dietary habits between holiday indulgences. For me, this means having high-protein, nutrient-dense foods for most of my meals outside of festive gatherings, where I eat all my favorites without guilt or shame.
- Savoring the Moments: I still have young kids, and I am trying to be mindful about savoring these special holiday moments with them because they won’t be young or at home with me forever. So even if I have a bunch of work that needs to get done, laundry to fold, or presents to wrap, if my kids want to sit down and watch Elf for the 100 times, I am trying to sit down and enjoy that special time with them. I will not look back five years from now and regret taking the time to be with them.
The key word to remember this holiday season, and life in general, is balance. Give yourself the gift of a guilt-free December by sticking to your routines when you can but being flexible when you can’t (or don’t want to so you can fully enjoy this particular time of year with good food, drinks, and company.
