TIS THE SEASON
'Tid-Bits' of Health
So, here comes the holidays, parties and shopping — food and drinks — family and friends. What a great time of year. However, some may find this to be a very stressful time of year. Often it is a time of over indulgence and throwing caution to the wind when it comes to our eating and activity habits. Rich foods ladled with bad fats, sugars, and empty calories. Add to that, no time for exercise and lack of sleep, and we have a holiday recipe for extra pounds on the scale and tight belt buckles. Not to mention just the sheer stress of it all.
So, what are some strategies to manage stress, eat healthy, and be active during the holiday rush?
For starters, we can be aware. We can plan our food choices, fit in quick and intense workouts (everyone can find 10 minutes in a day), use stress managing techniques like meditation, yoga, Pilates, and breathing to calm our nerves and clear our minds and get enough sleep. Being mindful of how we maneuver through the holiday season takes thought and preparation. If left unmanaged we are endangering our bodies to compromised health.
Here are some tips that may help you this season.
Look for ways to be conscious with eating habits — instead of having that slice of pie, maybe have a piece of fruit to satisfy that need for a sweet treat. Instead of that mixed drink, opt for sparkling water infused with citrus or cranberry. If there is no time for the gym, take a brisk walk, climb some stairs, or do a 10-minute high intensity training workout that includes some strength training moves (i.e. squats) mixed with cardio (i.e. jumping rope). Another misstep people make, especially in a season of hustle and bustle, is forgetting to rest. Making time for rest, recovery, and getting enough sleep tops the list of healthy habits to adopt.
With that said, make a decision to just do it (as NIKE would say). We have a choice. We can and should take responsibility for our health. We choose to be inactive or active. We choose to eat the cake or pass it over. We choose to stay up late, or turn in for full night sleep. Our lifestyle choices yield outcomes. Choose healthy, and the rewards are better health. Choose poorly, and poor health or even disease is the outcome. My advice? Choose wisely.
So, are eating well, exercising, and sleep enough? Maybe not according to many experts. Our environment plays a large role in our wellbeing. We are bombarded with toxins on a daily basis. Some we can control, some we cannot. Our air quality, water sources, and food supplies are flawed. As a result, so are our body’s systems. Oxidative stress which leads to inflammation is like wild fires in our bodies, limiting our ability to repair and replenish good cells and remove bad ones. This cellular inflammation is known as the root cause of disease and dysfunction. With a world full of anti-nutrient foods, genetically modified organisms (GMO’S), hormones in our foods, and hidden sugars in everything, it is no wonder our health is impaired. Not to mention rounds of antibiotics which wipe out our gut health and immune systems. Put all that together with inactivity, poor sleep habits and unmanaged stress, and you have the perfect storm, robbing us of our vitality. It is therefore essential that we make healthy choices a priority.
So, if we hear these concerns, know these effects, what can we do to change these outcomes?
Become educated. Be mindful. Be responsible. Be proactive. Make a healthy lifestyle a priority. It may be necessary to makeover the metabolism (how our body stores and uses energy). It does not need to be a daunting task. We can renew ourselves from the inside out. It just takes time and the right tools.
Make the choice today to have a healthy holiday season. Not following the norm and waiting for the “New Year” to make that futile commitment so many of us make and don’t keep. Start today. Tomorrow never comes. We are worth the effort.
For more information on rebuilding your health from the inside out, contact me at Balance by Design CORE Fitness, 109 N. Main St. Porterville.
Move more, move better. Michele.