A Healthy Holiday

Can you believe we’re just a week away from Christmas?

I hope you’re just as excited as I am :)

One of my top tips to getting all of your holiday shopping done stress free is to join Amazon prime (amazon.ca).  That was my saving grace this holiday. With two young children at home, getting out to shop is near impossible and really I’m not interested in dealing with crowded parking lots and lineups at the mall.  Boxes are delivered to my door and now all I have to do is the wrapping. And my partner Deryk and I plan to do that early this week so that when Christmas Eve is here, we’re not stressed trying to get it all done. And, some really great news!! If you’re not done shopping, you can sign up for Amazon prime and shop by this Wednesday and as long as you select items that qualify for prime, you’ll still get them in time. Amazing right? You’re welcome.  (I wish I got paid to tell you all that, lol)

Okay. So moving onto a healthy holiday. I think it’s pretty common for us to go into the holidays with the intention of eating healthy and then we have one or two chocolates and then that sweet taste of sugar takes over and before we know it we’ve overindulged. Sound familiar?

I can remember a family Christmas where I ate so many treats that by the time the dance party started (yes there was a dance party) I couldn’t move from the couch. True story. And I’ve never done it again. It made me feel sick. I’m not saying I haven’t overindulged since then, I’m still learning the balance with nutrition, but I definitely have learned to be more mindful of my eating habits at social gatherings. 

So here are a few tips that I’ve used since that Christmas over 10 years ago that have certainly helped me and I hope you’ll find them useful. 

The first, if it’s not a 10 don’t eat it. I don’t actually remember where I heard this piece of advice but it’s a really good one. You know when you take a bite of something and it’s really not that good? You don’t have to finish it!! Only eat it if on a scale from 1-10 it’s a 10, and you LOVE it. EASY! 

Next, be mindful of your portions. Balance your plate by having generous portions of healthy foods and smaller portions of the more indulgent foods. Fill your plate with mostly salad & veggies, then turkey and mashed potatoes and save a smaller space for things like stuffing. The vegetables on your plate will help you to digest everything so make sure not to skip them!

Also, keep up with your workout. You may feel like taking time off over the holidays but I know personally that I feel better when I go to the gym. And if you don’t currently have an exercise routine, it’s time to make one. I always go in the morning before I shower and I’ve been doing this for years. It’s become a habit and not a choice, which makes exercising easy!! And it keeps my mind healthy and my body moving and will keep me feeling and looking younger too. And ditto for you! 

Limit the amount of liquid calories you’re consuming. Enjoy a glass of wine but don’t overdo it. Our bodies don’t really register that we’re full when we’re drinking.  And that leads to consuming more than we want. 

And the last tip is not to feel guilty if you overeat. Just make smarter choices the next time. We’re all human and we all make mistakes. The trick is to learn from our mistakes and we can do that when we’re mindful about how things make us feel.  Like that family Christmas where I stuffed my face with treats. The way I felt wasn’t worth it. But I learned from it and now I can enjoy holiday family functions while still indulging in some treats. 

Well, that wraps up 2017. Since the next two Sundays (which are the nights I record & blog) are Christmas Eve and New Years, I’m going to take a two week break. Be sure to keep in touch by joining 1010Zen on Facebook and now on Instagram!! Or send me an email.  I’d love to hear how my 1010Zen podcast is helping you move your life forward.

And, if you have any ideas for topics that you’d like me to discuss, I’d love to hear those too!

Merry Christmas 1010Zen friends. Wishing you Peace, Balance, Happiness, Health and Love this holiday season and always.

Sandy xo