It’s Christmas week!! If you are like most people, the chaos level is a high. Work, kids, family, shopping trips, and more can add up to a serious stress level. During this level of crazy, it’s too easy to forget about yourself with a long list of responsibilities. But this year can be the year to care of yourself.
This year I’m striving to enjoy the holidays without sacrificing my sanity and health. By making myself a priority, it will be a better holiday season for me & my family. Here are my top 3 tips to make yourself a priority this season.
Tip #1 Eat. It sounds simple, right? However many people struggle with making healthy food choices when their schedule is nuts. We may skip meals because we are busy, or we may overeat. Remember food is fuel for your body. You have to fill the tank often and with real food. Choose less processed foods when creating meals. Aim for a balance of lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats. You’ll feel so much better when you give your body healthier foods. Plus you’ll have the energy to tackle your day!
Tip #2 Get moving. You may feel like R. Kelly…your mind keeps telling you “no” to exercise, but your body wants it. HAHAHA!! You need energy to take care of your responsibilities. When you get your body moving, it will reward you with more energy and burn off stress. Try to exercise as early in the day as you can to avoid missing your workout. This was an issue for me during the week of Thanksgiving. And I plan to avoid making excuses and skipping workouts this week. I need to stay on schedule for my goals and to have the health to care for my kids.
Tip #3 Make yourself a priority by enjoying yourself. Don’t stress to create perfection. Perfection isn’t going to happen in this lifetime. The kids will act wild, your crazy family member will still get on your nerves on Christmas day, your gift wrapping may not be Martha Stewart level, but who cares? Take a deep breath, make memories, enjoy every minute. No one will remember things weren’t perfect. They will only remember the good memories and how you made them feel. So take the pressure of yourself! Your mind and body will be thankful for less stress.
Once the holidays are over, keeping the momentum in caring for yourself. If you have a health & fitness goal for 2017, I’d love to share my nutrition guide. This guide outlines healthy choices to fuel your body well. It also includes an example of to plan your meals for your day. The ladies in my Fresh Start online group are following this nutrition plan. They are seeing success in losing fat and feeling more energized. Click here to get your copy to kick off better eating habits.