Don’t Just Survive the Holidays, Thrive!

I love the holidays! I mean, I really love the holidays! I love all the decorating and planning. I love all our little traditions that I hold so dear. I love the sights, the sounds and the smells of Thanksgiving and Christmas! But, even as much as I love this time of year, I can tell you, it can be a struggle to stay on course as far as living a healthy lifestyle with all the extra food and a jam-packed calendar! I recently saw something as I was scrolling on social media. It was a Holiday Survival Guide. At first glance, it seemed like a good thing. Then I started thinking how sad it seemed to just “survive” the holidays! Why can’t I thrive instead? Not only do I want  to just get through the holidays without all the extra everything derailing my healthy habits, I would love to enjoy the holidays and come out a little healthier, happier and wiser! I want to believe this can be done! Let’s talk about this!

The holidays are supposed to be a time for focusing on what we are thankful for, for family and celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus. Somehow we can miss the whole point, though, when we get caught up in the details that can stress us out. Sometimes we can major on the minors at Christmas and completely miss the beauty and spirit of the season. So how can we change that? Let’s first talk about thriving spiritually this time of year. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us to lay aside every weight and sin that so easily entangles us as we are running our spiritual race in this life. Wouldn’t it be sad, to let things that really do not matter trip us up or slow us down in our walk with Christ during the very season we are supposed to be celebrating His birth? It is sad but true than we can get so focused on what to wear or what to cook or decorating just so, that we miss the quiet beauty of growing even closer to Him, especially now. During the holidays, we can most definitely get entangled with things that are temporary and unnecessary and miss the still small voice of the Spirit calling to us to draw near to Himself, and to thrive spiritually, even when the world seems to be bustling and loud. So I challenge you to create extra time each day for prayer, worship and bible study. I have found that turning things off, waking up even earlier, whatever it takes to get tucked away, just me and the Lord, is where my priorities seem to get reoriented, my perspective seems to adjust to be in line with His, and I get refreshed and renewed. There are no shortcuts, but it is so worth it! Don’t neglect your time with Him! Not now! In fact, allow and create more time. The things that truly matter will shine brighter and the things that really do not, will grow a little dimmer. It is ok to say no to events that you are invited to that you don’t feel are necessary to attend. It is ok to keep things simple. It is ok to relax. Being present in the moment with your family and friends is more important than giving the perfect present or having it wrapped just so. Maybe your life looks different than it did last year. Maybe you have lost a loved one, or you have moved to a new place or there has been some other type of shift in your life. It is ok to do things differently and it is ok to not keep up the same traditions this year. When you spend that quality time with the Lord, I think you will see and know what is important. The holidays can be really hard for some people for different reasons. Try reaching out and doing something for someone who may be having a tough time this year. Trust me, when you brighten someone else’s day, you end up with the biggest blessing!

What about our physical health during the holidays? All the extra dinners, parties and late evenings can really mess with our healthy lifestyle!  We have to go in with a plan! A plan to enjoy this season for sure, but it doesn’t have to get us off course! Number one I would suggest to you is don’t skip your workouts! Keep moving!  Get to the gym or group fitness class, even if you have to go at a different time than you usually go. Exercise is a big stress reliever and really fires up those endorphins! Make exercise a priority during the holidays. Go for walks or jogs, take the stairs, park farther away from the stores’ entrances as you go shopping. As you enjoy those holiday goodies, be mindful of your portions. You can enjoy a treat and still keep it small. You will feel better than if you are stuffed and uncomfortable. Have a plan when you are preparing your holiday menus. Try not to prepare all heavy, calorie-laden dishes. Serve up some lighter dishes as well. One thing I do that is super helpful to me, is I send leftovers home in nice little meal-prep containers to my guests as a parting gift! In other words, get it out of the house! Too many leftovers can turn one dinner into several days of eating not-so-healthy food. Your guests will love that too!  Another tip for feeling your best is staying hydrated. Most people do not drink enough water every day. Be sure to drink plenty of water to keep you feeling full and energized. Being well hydrated keeps you from overeating and can curb snacking as well. While you are doing your holiday cooking, call in some healthy substitutions. You can use applesauce instead of oil when baking. You can whole wheat flour. Substitute Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Substitute stevia for sugar. Every little substitution helps! Also, be aware of calories in your drinks! Those fancy drinks and lattes can have lots of sugar, so limit the amount you consume and go for smaller sizes. Yes, the holidays are a time to have fun and enjoy things, but be smart and you will feel great!

You have come so far on your health and fitness journey! Don’t give up now! Persevere and stay the course. Let’s focus on all that matters this Christmas season! The things that we all really want; love, peace, grace, forgiveness and hope, are all found in Jesus Christ. Spending this Christmas focusing on growing in Him, we will not only get all these things, we will have enough that it is running over to give to others! That is what Christmas is all about anyway! Merry Christmas!