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The holidays can be filled with fun family gatherings, big shopping trips, and lots of food (emphasis on the “lots”). While all of these things can be exciting and enjoyable, the holiday season can also be extremely stressful for a lot of reasons. A lot of us feel the pressures of overwhelming to-do lists and high expectations during the holiday season.
Maintaining healthy habits can be difficult, especially during the holiday season. But making small changes, or committing to one or a few healthy habits can help encourage additional healthy choices. For example, healthy eating can inspire other healthy lifestyle choices both in and outside of the office! Another idea is to schedule an in-office wellness event our mobile chair massage service in Baltimore, and throughout Maryland!
Though you may have stayed on track from January to October, the busy months of November and December and their associated holidays can challenge your progress.
While there are many ways to get off track from your health goals, here are five big threats to healthy eating that many of us are confronted with during the holidays:
- Getting off a regular schedule. The holidays are busy time that can make you feel that everything is a greater priority than your health. This is not entirely true. While you can hold space for other priorities, such as spending quality time with your family during the holidays, you can still work out, eat well, and also prioritize spending time in the kitchen cooking quick but nutritious and healthy meals. Schedule specific time for yourself to cook and to exercise, rather than just “winging it” at the last minute and hoping you can find time.
- Indulging in too many “treats”. While it is still healthy to treat yourself once in a while with a dessert or a break from exercise, it’s important to keep in mind why your health and wellness are important to you and how hard you’ve worked to get where you are. Don’t be so rigid with yourself that you don’t allow yourself to have a few treats and enjoy the holidays, but also remember not to overdo it and to prioritize sticking to your health and fitness goals.
- Trying to cheer yourself up. Seasonal affective disorder is fairly common during the winter months. Longer nights, shorter hours of daylight, and colder weather can often lower people’s mood and can sometimes lead to seasonal depression. Make sure that you get some sunlight for at least 30 minutes during the day, and try not to seek out extra food and sweets as mood boosting substitutes.
- Becoming bored. If you keep cooking the same recipes and doing the same workout routine all year long, sooner or later you’re going to get sick of it. It’s normal to feel uninterested after a while when you’re doing the same thing over and over again. Instead, try mixing things up by looking up new healthy recipes and finding exercises and workouts to add to your fitness regimen. If you typically go running, try boxing or HIIT workouts. Tired of yoga? Try swimming or qi gong.
- Holiday Parties and Gatherings. Commit to “staying in shape” this holiday season by choosing fruits, veggies, and other healthy options before other foods at the next holiday party. If the holiday you’re attending is potluck style, bring a dish that’s healthy and nutritious so you know you’ll have at least one healthy option to choose from. If you’re eating from a buffet or appetizer table, start by filling up more on healthier options before moving to the snacks and treats.
Staying healthy can be hard – there’s no denying that. The added stress of the holidays can often make your goals to stay in shape even harder. Give Corporate Massage Kneads a call and let us help you prioritize your health and well-being this holiday season. Don’t let the stress get in the way of your health. Instead, focus on your wellness and make yourself a priority. You’re worth it!
Enjoy the holiday season, and stay healthy while doing it! Have your HR department request a quote from Corporate Massage Kneads to schedule your next in-office wellness program with our mobile chair massage services!
Escape. Experience. Enjoy.
Sources: Editorial Staff. “The Unhealthy Holidays: 5 Worst Things You Can Do.” To Your Health, November 2014. Online. Accessed November 9, 2014.
