Home / Fitness / Remaining healthy during the holidays

 

 

For me, staying on track with my nutrition during the holiday’s is practically impossible. I love all food, especially baked sweets. I find that if I give myself some allowances here and there, I’m much happier, feel like I’m participating with everyone and I can enjoy those little cookie bars my Aunt Jill makes without guilt. The real problem is when those few allowances turn into an everyday thing. Next thing you know comes January. I’m not sleeping well, my energy is low, my motivation to exercise is non-existent and I’m biting everyone’s head off. I know its hard to believe, but I do this to myself every year and boy do I pay for it.

This year will be different, starting today. I hope you’ll join me. I’d like to focus on gratitude for these next few weeks. I feel that I can honor what my body wants and needs if I am grateful for what it does for me; both mentally and physically. My body is free from illness, which is the thing I am most grateful for. This is the main reason I won’t overindulge this season. I want to always feel good. My body takes care of my family. How lucky am I to have this opportunity? My body helps others take care of their bodies. My life’s path has lead me to a career in health and wellness. What better thing to be more grateful for than helping others be healthy. My body can do anything my mind wants it to. This is a life goal I want to always maintain. I want to alway keep my body in a state where I can do anything I want it to. Climb stairs or run for charity, teach fitness classes, play football or hockey with my boys, walk the dog, hike the Grand Canyon. You name it, I want to be able to do it.

My body requires rest. It’s hard to be grateful for this and honor this because I’m not mentally made for it. I will be challenged by this forever I suspect, but I know it’s important to listen to my body and try to enjoy some R & R. My body cooks and cleans. Ok, I know I should be grateful I can actually do these things but sheesh. My mind is strong enough to make my body do anything. I do a lot of physically challenging things that require me to be mentally strong, and I am so grateful I have developed the ability to push myself. My body asks me to maintain a positive attitude. When I have a positive attitude I find that I can get through the mundane tasks of each day feeling better. My body requires good, nutritious food to be able to do all of the things above. If I do not eat real, whole, unprocessed foods, I am unmotivated, lethargic and moody. I want to be energetic, happy, feel well and have a long healthy life. I encourage you to recognize all that your body does for you and make a plan for how you’re going to honor what your body needs. Everything starts with nutrition. Choose things that make you feel good. Go ahead and indulge once in awhile, you’re human and food is delicious, but mostly make good healthy choices that get you to your goals and maintain your healthy body. Avoid excuses that get you sucked into the holiday season and take you away from what you love. Long term, your body will continue to work well for you if you maintain it.

Happy Holidays!

–Lindsay Forsberg, FITT-RX Trainer and Instructor

 
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