One of the most important parts of health and wellness is your relationship with your body and the way you view yourself. At least for me, when I feel good about myself, I tend to live healthier and engage more fully. When I feel bad about myself, I tuck myself away with some chips and Netflix.
Around the holiday season, it’s easy to enter the pattern that so many of us fall victim to — overeating, overdrinking, overindulging and skipping the gym. By New Year’s, we feel terrible. It’s a pattern that’s both mentally exhausting and avoidable. However, breaking this pattern requires a combination of mindfulness and advanced planning. Sometimes we don’t have time for that — and that’s OK, as long as we take some small steps to mitigate the damage.
The first fitness tip I have for surviving the holiday season is remembering the old saying, “You are what you eat.” Personally, I want people to think I eat kale. But all jokes aside, there are ways to take healthy spins on classic holiday flavors.
This Thanksgiving, I made a kale salad with pomegranate seeds, sweet potato, butternut squash and walnuts with a pomegranate vinaigrette. It was fabulously healthy and there were delicious seasonal flavors that blended seamlessly with the Thanksgiving feast. That salad didn’t come together out of nowhere, though. I had been eating a premade variation of it for weeks from the spot I usually get my lunch — which is a good segway into my second fitness tip: Plan ahead. As silly and obvious as this may sound, advanced planning is a major key to success and can help prevent spontaneous, impulsive and unhealthy food choices.
After preparing a healthy side dish for a holiday centered around gratitude and gluttony, I felt really good about myself. I also felt like I made a really great contribution to the health and wellness of my family members by injecting some lighter fare into the meal. During this time of communing with others, it’s important to reflect on how your actions impact other people.
Many of us are sensitive around this time of year about our weight and the way we look. Perhaps you have a relative who talks about their fitness routine to the point of being obnoxious, and you know it shouldn’t make you feel bad about yourself, but it does anyways. That’s always kind of awkward. Even when I was with my family, making a salad, I didn’t want to ruffle any feathers or make a big fuss in case that would be a point of tension.
Staying healthy during the holidays is like navigating a minefield. It is such an emotional, exciting and — at times — tense season of celebration and merriment with friends and family, and there are a lot of opportunities to engage in unhealthy behavior.
Overly caloric food and beverages aside, this time of year has the potential to make many of us nervous and self-conscious about our bodies. On a personal note, I’ve been dreading the holiday season — because since my injury, I’ve certainly put on a little weight. I’ve felt feelings of fear and shame when I think about showing up to a high school reunion or reconnecting with family members. But honestly, no matter what you do or what you look like, you have to own it.
Move at your own pace. Make healthy choices. Try to think ahead and make mindful decisions — and the rest will fall into place. Be grateful for your body this holiday season, be kind to it and nourish it well.
