Healthy Habits to survive the Christmas period

Lessons to learn from Santa

What Healthy Habits did you need to survive the Christmas period?

Every year, as a health and lifestyle coach, I live in hope that Santa will lose some weight, for the sake of his health. But unfortunately he is stuck in the same unhealthy lifestyle and work habits that keep that excess abdominal fat there. Santa, it’s time for a change…

Santa, you stay up too late, try to do everything in one night, think of everyone else but yourself (to your health’s detriment) and you really need to say no to every offer of milk and cookies.

Like most of us, the end of the year represents a change in our routines and our normal life, which can result in some additional kilos and centimetres. If you want to start the New Year differently and not looking like Santa, here are a couple of tips to surviving the Christmas period:

Don’ts healthy habits

• Avoid those late night snacks of cookies and milk.
• Don’t overeat but savour and enjoy your meals.
• Don’t overindulge on sugary treats and cakes.
• Don’t set up impossible tasks to do everything in one night
• Don’t try to buy everyone in the world a present as some people would prefer quality time, an act of service, or even some thoughtful and beautiful words on a card.

Do’s healthy habits 

• Continue to drink water even if your hands are full with presents.
• Get sleep to help reduce your stress levels instead of all-nighters and deadlines.
• Spend quality time rather than visiting every house in the world.
• Spend some time looking after yourself instead of the needs of everyone else in the world.
• Continue to exercise, walk and move (rather than flying to every housetop).

Christmas and the New Year represent something different to everyone. The key to surviving and thriving this holiday period is not only looking after your health but truly connecting to your meaning of this time and being purposeful about experiencing this. That’s where the joy and peace can be found. Most importantly, have fun even if this means, like good’ol Santa, laughing at the top of your voice in the middle of the night and waking the neighbours!

Have a happy and healthy holiday season!