So, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…!!
Personally, I love this time of year. Not just because it’s Christmas, I also love the fact everyone is usually on energy saving mode and relaxing in one way or another.
You can literally feel the difference in the air.
I actually love being London in between Christmas and New Year because it feels so calm and quiet. There’s a palpable difference in the energy of the city which is rare and makes the week in between so special!
And even if you live in a more remote area I’m sure you can still feel the difference.
I appreciate, however, that this time of year can also bring certain anxieties to the surface for many…
Perhaps you have to deal with some tricky family members, or maybe you’re conscious of your weight and so the food around you and what you eat can cause a certain level of anxiety. Or maybe you’re concerned about finances, yet you want everyone to have a special Christmas…
Which means the holidays can also raise our stress levels…
So, I want to share with you some things to bear in mind and some things that you can actually do so that you can fully embrace this time of the year whilst simultaneously promoting your health and wellbeing …
- Remember that your body is always looking out for you, even if you really don’t believe that, it is true. So know that it’s on your side. It’s doing its best by you every second of every day. See if you can feel some gratitude for all of the complex bodily functions that you literally couldn’t live without. If you can really grasp this principle and feel the gratitude it will give you a more realistic perspective on what’s worth stressing over.
- Remember that restriction sets you up to fail. My best advice is to make sure you eat a good filling breakfast every morning and commit to three decent meals a day. This will maintain blood sugar balance, which means you’re far less likely to over-do it at one sitting and you’ll also feel more satisfied and calm. Then around those three meals enjoy the ‘treats’!
- When you eat the ‘treats’, really enjoy them … truly allow yourself the pleasure … there’s no point eating them otherwise!! The best way to do this is to be mindful when you’re eating and what you’re eating. If you’re feeling anxious or wrong for what you’re eating, you tend to rush and barely chew the food – therefore hardly enjoying and savouring the flavours. So, make a point to consciously choose what you want to eat from an empowered place, and enjoy everything about it … which also involves chewing slowly and calmly so that you can take it all in.
- If you do go a little overboard and eat more than what’s normal for you, let it go! It is Christmas, so you along with millions of other people around the world will be doing exactly the same – me included! The difference between someone who does this without worry, compared to someone who worries, is self-judgement. Enjoy the moment and the tradition of Christmas for what it is.
- Forget your weight. You can even accept that you may possibly put on a little weight while you eat more than usual and more of the richer foods you wouldn’t eat on a regular basis . But know and trust that if this is the case ( and it may not be), as soon as you go back to your usual way of eating, your body will correct itself.
- Bear in mind that it’s human nature to crave sweet, fatty and salty foods – it’s the same for practically everyone. And usually during the holiday season we are surrounded by these foods – so don’t think that you specifically have a ‘willpower problem’ or ‘unhealthy cravings’. And remember restriction will make your cravings unhealthy!
- Enjoying your food is good for your body and mind, restricting yourself and feeling bad about yourself is bad for your body and mind – Which one are you going to choose?
- Go for some walks in the fresh air and take some deep breaths … your body and mind will thank you for it!
- Focus on getting quality sleep during this period of downtime. Sleep is hugely restorative and also your body does the bulk of its detoxification whilst you sleep. Also remember, when you’re tired you’re more likely to crave high carb foods.
- Drink a pint of room temperature warm water, ideally with some freshly squeezed lemon, as soon as you wake up. This will help flush any toxins from your liver and body. I recommend doing this every day year-round, but especially when indulging in richer foods/drinks. Then also make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
- When possible make your first couple of bites of food are of a protein – this will help to regulate the blood sugar and send signals of satiation to the brain.
- If you lead a busy hectic lifestyle, consciously use this time to wind-down. Literally imagine your nervous system slowly releasing, unravelling and softening. Slow everything down – your movement, your speech, your breath, your day. This in of itself is amazing for your health. Take some deep breaths through the nose whenever possible to aid the relaxation of your nervous system further.
- Have as much fun and laughter as possible – laughing decreases stress hormones and increases immune cell and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease. Laughter also triggers the release or endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals, which promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
- Have lots of cuddles with loved ones – again, hugs are amazing for your health and scientifically proven to boost your immune system!
- Lastly, focus on gratitude. At this time of year you are surrounded by so many things to feel grateful for, and as you may have heard me say before, gratitude is the antidote to fear and worry – you simply can’t feel both and the same time. This means that gratitude is also an amazing way to boost your-wellbeing … So I encourage you to also over-indulge in feeling grateful over the next couple of weeks!
As we enter the new year, we can look back on the 2018 and seek to learn lessons … Everything in life, good or bad, is ultimately a lesson.
I encourage you to take some time over the next two weeks to note down the lessons you’ve learnt during 2018 and then looking forward note down what areas of your life you would like to improve on or where would you like to grow in 2019?
… Another great question to ask yourself is where could you love and trust yourself more?
Wishing you a wonderful festive holiday season, and here’s to the start of a new year and to becoming your best self,
Love,
Kate x
