|
The holidays are definitely a special time of year. These
days, however, many women wonder whether "special"
means happy -- or stressful. Do you know anyone who doesn't
feel more stress during the holiday season? One thing is for
sure: Stress is a six-letter word that can spell added trouble
for many women who struggle with food, eating and weight.
A national survey of women conducted earlier this year revealed
that women see stress and lack of energy as two of their top
health issues. But here's where it gets interesting: Women
were twice as likely as men to snack as a way of dealing with
stress!
So how do you enjoy the famous holiday party time that seems
to start with coffee breaks at work or weekend brunches and
last through dessert parties late in the evening without overdoing
on all those wonderful foods? Here's a list of ideas to consider
that can help reduce holiday stress, boost energy and maximize
your ability to make smart choices to support you in your
efforts to feel well and stay healthy.
Keep It Simple
The absolute first "must" for enjoying your holidays
is to keep it simple. Be realistic in what you want to accomplish…and
what you expect others to accomplish, too. Discuss holiday
plans with family and friends. Consider paring down your "to
do" list, and get a commitment from others to share in
the extra holiday tasks that create extra fun for everyone.
Feed Yourself Well
A party later in the evening doesn't mean skimping on food
during the day. All that will do is set you up for overeating
because you get too hungry. Instead, eat regular, balanced
meals and snacks that include grains/starchy vegetables, protein
foods and fruits and/or vegetables every 3-5 hours when you
are hungry, and stopping when you are satisfied.
Likewise, if you overdo it at one meal or party (and who
doesn't on occasion?), don't try to "make up" for
it at your next meals. Go back to your regular eating plan
as described above.
Dance the Night Away!
Physical activity may provide the biggest boost to your ability
to cope during the holidays. Not only is it a natural outlet
for tension (and consequently another way to cope), physical
activity boosts our energy level and our motivation to keep
going.
Be creative! Break out of your mold by adding the opportunities
of the holiday season, such as dancing, skating, sledding,
skiing, snowshoeing, caroling (all that walking)…even trimming
the tree (there's a lot of stretching there). Make fun physical
activity the primary focus of your parties, instead of depending
on the food to make or break it.
Realistically, many people find that physical activity early
in the day is the best way to make it happen. A walk after
breakfast is one of the best strategies for boosting energy
and helping you feel well the rest of the day. Don't forget
those walks around the shopping mall or the long brisk walk
in from the parking lot count for something, too! (See
FitBriefing Moving for Life).
Put on Parties that Work for You
This is where stress can send you straight for the Christmas
cookies or Hanukkah chocolate. First, plan parties where you
get help. How about just being responsible for the "centerpiece"
dish, such as a main dish, beautiful salad or dessert, and
let the supermarket, bakery, and/or deli do the rest. Or if
you don't already have a pot luck tradition for family gatherings,
now is the time to start!
What will be on the menu? A simple, healthy meal with some
added festive touches will not only impress your guests, but
it will truly be enjoyed by all - especially you! Many holiday
menus start with roast turkey. Roasting a turkey or turkey
breast is relatively simple, but most grocery and/or meat
markets will roast it for you. Serve it with Brown Rice Pilaf
or Wild Rice Pilaf (both recipes from the new edition of Green
Mountain's cookbook Recipes
for Living). Add dried cherries or cranberries, chopped
toasted pecans and chopped fresh parsley for a festive touch.
A colorful tossed green salad could be as simple as a bag
of mixed field greens with orange segments and red onion rings.
Garnish with a slice of herbed chevre (goat cheese). Serve
with Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette (another Green Mountain favorite).
Take advantage of the sweets and other treats of the season
that your local bakery will surely be making; order a tray
of assorted cookies, for example. Serve with a scoop of raspberry,
lemon or tropical fruit sorbet in holiday dishes. Or if you
want a real "wow" but simple dessert, try Marinated
Strawberries in Phyllo cups.
Make Yourself a Priority
This is the bottom line for holidays that you really enjoy.
Remember, if you take care of yourself first, then you're
much better equipped to take care of everyone else. But women
just don't tend to do that. A survey last month of 1000 women
revealed that while almost all women would enjoy doing something
for themselves like taking a walk or an aromatic bath, most
spend less than 30 minutes a day nurturing themselves…and
almost 10 hours a day caring for others! Clearly, we're out
of balance here. Now there's a great gift - the gift of more
time for you!
No More New Year's Resolutions to Lose Weight!
The staff at Green Mountain at Fox Run wishes you the happiest,
healthiest holiday season ever. Our other wish for you is
that you approach the New Year not with another resolution
to take off pounds gained during the holiday season. Instead,
we wish that you enjoy the season without thinking about body
size, instead caring for yourself in a way that allows you
to go through the season feeling vibrant and well. The truth
is that most of us may put on a pound or two during the holidays
when wonderful foods abound. But if we're tuned in to feeling
well, and supporting our bodies with sensible enjoyable eating,
regular physical activity, stress management and positive
thinking, those extra pounds won't be permanent. With this
lifestyle in place, we'll find our weight returns to its natural,
healthy place once the abundance of the holidays subsides.
|
