The Holiday Season Can Be Wonderful - And Challenging!
People look forward to holiday food, traditions, gifts, parties, and events. The general atmosphere, seeing friends and family, and volunteering are more common things people enjoy.
Holidays can be challenging. Here are some common challenges.
Extra Responsibilities
Health Challenges
Social obligations, family visits
Less time for cooking, exercising, sleeping, and managing stress
Hosting/cooking/cleaning
More parties and gatherings with high-calorie foods and beverages
Traveling
Pressure to drink alcohol
Gift shopping and wrapping
Cookies, fudge, caramel corn, and other holiday treats
Holiday decorations
Winter weather
Child care
Often, days off work are few!
What Might You Hope to Get from the Holiday Season?
Identify what makes your holidays “successful.” That way, you can work to achieve success.
The Four Pillars
What Matters to You? (Examples)
Connection
Family time, longer conversations with friends, out-of-town visitors
Tradition
Baking, decorating, music, viewing lights
Recharge
Sleeping in, reading, quiet evenings, saying "no"
Giving
Volunteering, making a small gift, thoughtful gestures
It’s also a good time to overcome challenges to increase confidence in these areas.
Focus Area
Affirmation for a Lighter Season
Self-Care
“I can make decisions to feel strong and be healthy”
Self-Worth
“My needs are important and worthy of attention”
Empowerment
“I can make good decisions for my health and wellbeing”
Priorities
“I can give time and effort to meaningful people and causes”
Set Realistic Goals to Support Physical and Mental Health
Goals at this time of year might be different than goals
Area
Goal to Release
Goal to Embrace
Scheduling
Saying yes to everything and everyone
Prioritizing people and events that are important to you
Weight
Rapid weight loss
Healthier choices when possible (Focus on Maintenance)
Fitness
Increasing intensity or duration
Maintaining fitness, adding small bouts of activity (Movement Snacks)
Perfection
Skipping all treats, giving perfect gifts, doing everything yourself, cooking from scratch
Choosing and enjoying a select few treats, asking for help, forgiving yourself
Subtract to Add: Less Can Be More!
Doing too much lead to less for yourself and others by increasing stress and reducing joy. Here are reasons to be selective.
Appreciation for holiday food, events, and atmosphere
Ability to be present and mindful in the moment
Allow for rest and recovery to start the new year fresh
What might you skip this year for a happier, healthier season?
Consider…
Benefit…
Mystery person gift exchange
More fun, less money, less time and stress from gift shopping
Only going to parties you have time, energy, and desire for
Save time and energy for loved ones and important people in your life
Purchasing dishes and asking guests to contribute instead of cooking everything yourself
Time, effort, better mood, less tired and stressed
Decorating, shopping, and volunteering with family or friends
More quality time while having more fun getting the same things done
Try Helpful Thoughts to Maintain Healthy Habits
“What can I do now to make the new year easier?
Reduce or break up sitting time
Pack up leftovers
Have coffee instead of a latte
“What can I do to feel good now?”
Exercise
Choose a higher-fiber carb
Drink water
Go to another room for quiet time
“What can I plan to make sure I stay on track?”
A dish at an upcoming party
Meet for a walk instead of a meal
Add a salad and a bowl of soup
And Now…The Food!
How do you keep holiday food in check during December?
A holiday meal can have about 2,000 calories!
Calories in a Holiday Meal
Food
Calories
Mixed nuts, 1 oz.
200
Crackers, deli meat, cheese, 1 oz. each
300
Dinner roll with butter
200
Ham or turkey, 4 oz.
200
Mashed potatoes, yams, stuffing, and green bean casserole, 1/2 cup each
500
Pumpkin pie, 1 slice
300
Eggnog, 1 glass
300
Total
2,000
That’s before adding second helpings, wine, more desserts, dressings, gravy, sauces, salad, soup…
Holiday Meal: Always plan to have a healthy option
If you’re hosting: plan to include healthy options at each course
If you’re a guest:
Ask the host ahead of time
Check the restaurant menu
Phone the restaurant or caterer
Look for healthy menu options
Bring something healthy. You can leave it in the car if you don’t need it, and eat it later
Holiday Meals and Events: Starters
Look for vegetables, fruit, and proteins.
Vegetable or fruit skewers
A salad with dressing and add-ins on the side
Deviled eggs made with yogurt instead of mayo
Lightly seasoned popcorn
Ice water
Holiday Meals and Events: Main Course
Look for or bring plain vegetables and lean proteins
Salad with dressing and toppings on the side
Roasted vegetables, such as green beans, brussels sprouts, or asparagus
Roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes
Skinless roast turkey or grilled fish or chicken
Hard-boiled eggs or grilled shrimp
Holiday Meals and Events: Dessert
Look for or bring fresh fruit and small servings
Seasonal fruit: basket, salad, or whole fruit
Pears, clementines, persimmons, pineapple
Plain or cocoa dusted nuts
Whipped topping - Add 1-2 tablespoons to fruit to make dessert more indulgent
Holiday Meals and Events: Beverages
Look for water and non-alcoholic beverages
Water/ice water
Hot tea or unsweetened iced tea
Black coffee
Herbal apple or other tea bags, and cinnamon sticks for spiced tea
Keep Holiday Meals in Perspective
While a traditional holiday meal might have 2000 calories, eating leftovers and other holiday foods for weeks can add many more!
Food
Calories
Leftovers
1/2 cheesecake
2000
1/2 pumpkin pie
1200
1/2 green bean casserole
800
1/2 sweet potato casserole
800
Gifts and Similar Foods
1/2 popcorn tin (butter, caramel, cheese)
1000
1/2 loaf pumpkin bread
1200
10 Christmas cookies
1000
1/2 lb chocolate truffles
1800
Beverages
2 bottles of wine
1600
Non-alcoholic eggnog
1600
Total
13000
Remember to sit at the table when you snack to stay aware!
Make Leftovers Work for You!
How can you make sure leftovers support your health goals?
Give them away if you’re a host. Politely refuse them if you’re a guest.
Offer to others at restaurants
Wrap them well and freeze them
Give them to a neighbor, friends, or needy people in the community
When you have no other choice, throw them away.
Balance Holiday Cheer with Everyday Health
Special occasions can fit in. Enjoy them! Hour to hour and day to day, make healthy choices. They add up!
Which occasions are the ones you’ll choose as “special?”
There Are Lots Of Ways To Say, “No, Thanks!”
Simple: “No, thank you”
A fact: “That food doesn’t agree with me”
Not debatable: “I’m not hungry now”
Blame an authority: “My doctor said I can’t eat that”
A statement: “I’m not drinking tonight”
Practice saying “No, thanks!” so you’re used to it.
After This Webinar/Next Steps
Identify 3 things that you want to get from the holiday season
Name 3 healthy choices you can make consistently this year
Identify 3 things you can simplify or skip this year
