Wondering how you’ll survive Christmas? Thrive with these 5 seasonal steps
The holiday season is here, and I’m sure you have a mile-long to-do list and a schedule quickly filling up. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, or nothing at all, it's easy to lose yourself in the hustle and bustle of the winter season…no one wants to ring in the new year with a case of burnout! Here are 5 seasonal steps to not only survive Christmas but thrive.
Survive Christmas step one: Let go of the sugar guilt with mindful eating.
The holidays are when we embrace our inborn love for sugar more than ever. That first tingle of frost in the air seems to signal home bakers to begin whipping up every variety of sugared, spiced, frosted delight.
This often goes hand in hand with the guilt we carry when we feel we have overindulged.
Let me clarify: your food choices do NOT dictate your self-worth.
But overeating sugar can make you feel less than festive, and really overdoing it can make you feel downright awful.
Why? Consuming high-sugar foods will put your blood sugar, or glucose, on a rollercoaster. The result? Unwanted symptoms like energy crashes, fatigue, bloating, poor sleep, and irritability.
Unfortunately, a sugar crash isn’t the worst side effect: overeating added sugar could affect your immune system. One sugary treat may suppress your body’s ability to fight bacteria and viruses for up to 5 hours (1,2).
This is definitely not what you want to happen during flu season!
But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you have to turn down every dessert!
The studies referenced above used high amounts of sugar, around 80-100 grams. This is more than you would get from a homebaked cookie, but it is very easy to accidentally consume this much added sugar with all the holiday goodies around.
Mindfulness is essential. Once you begin paying attention to how much sugar is hidden in your food, it will be easy to avoid overdoing it.
Let’s peek at how much sugar is in these popular seasonal treats:
Tate’s Gluten Free Zinger Cookies (2 cookies): 12 grams of sugar
Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark (1 ounce): 15 grams of sugar
Horizon Organic Eggnog (4 ounces): 22 grams of sugar
Starbucks Peppermint Mocha (16 ounces): 54 grams of sugar
Chik-Fil-A Peppermint Chip Milkshake: 94 grams of sugar (yikes!)
So how much is too much? The American Heart Association recommends that women limit added sugar to 25 grams or less daily, which equals about 6 teaspoons. This includes all sugar types, even brown sugar, coconut sugar, honey, and maple syrup. To survive Christmas and thrive in the midst of holiday candies and cookies, choose one sweet treat per day and really savor it. It’s not about deprivation; it’s about mindful balance.
Survive Christmas step two: Bundle up and get outside.
When the temperature drops, most of us tend to stay indoors where it's nice and cozy. But this means we’re missing out on one of the most excellent natural stress relievers—the outdoors. And when trying to survive Christmas, lowering stress is essential.
Have you ever heard of forest bathing? It is the practice of spending time in the forest or natural outdoors surrounded by trees and plant life. Forest bathing is well-studied and can effectively lower the stress hormone cortisol and reduce both blood pressure and heart rate (3)!
Just fifteen minutes of forest bathing can significantly reduce cortisol (the hormone that causes unwanted belly fat) (4) and activate your parasympathetic nervous system (5).
Your parasympathetic nervous system is your rest and digest mode and contrasts your sympathetic nervous system, also known as “fight or flight.” Most of us stay stuck in a sympathetic state, which contributes to feelings of stress and overwhelm.
No forest nearby? No worries!
Simply walking outside daily can reduce stress, boost your mood, and improve the parasympathetic response (6).
Survive Christmas step three: Respect your time: It's ok to say no.
The holidays are meant to be shared with loved ones, a time for reflection, rejuvenation, and celebration. But for so many women, the holidays are simply synonymous with stress. Playing the part of attentive host and thoughtful guest, Doctor Mom for every cold and flu, not to mention all of the holiday shopping, cooking, and cleaning…can we just acknowledge this is a lot for one person to take on?
So to survive Christmas this year, you will have to become comfortable saying no.
And fair warning: It can be hard to let go of some of the “shoulds.”
Remember, you must take care of yourself to truly care for everyone else.
If this is a struggle for you, check out my top 5 tips to “de-should” and de-stress.
Survive Christmas step four: Load up on antioxidant superfoods.
A chaotic holiday season can result in health goals being put on the back burner. And that's ok—we can make room for indulgence when we know we are taking extra steps to protect our bodies. And that is where antioxidants shine.
Antioxidants wield incredible power in your body. They boost the immune system, keep inflammation at bay, help your body detox, and even prevent wrinkles and skin aging!
The most powerful antioxidants are found in whole foods, not supplements, and many are already in your kitchen.
Check out the list below and try incorporating a few of these antioxidant superfoods into your diet daily.
Fruit: organic apples, citrus, kiwi, strawberries, and blueberries (frozen is ok), pomegranate, avocado, olives
Vegetables: mushrooms, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, bell peppers, onions, leeks, sweet potatoes, carrots, kimchi, sauerkraut
Herbs & Spices: garlic, cloves, cilantro, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, rosemary
Nuts & Seeds: Brazil nuts, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, pumpkin seeds
Beverages: organic green tea, organic coffee
Survive Christmas step five: Don’t go to the party hungry.
Many years ago, I made the big mistake of going to a big holiday party hungry. I actually hadn’t eaten much all day, partially due to poor planning but also because I wanted to ensure '‘save’ my calories to enjoy all of the delicious hors-d'oeuvre and wine, plus the chef-prepared meal and desserts.
The evening did not go well.
The first glass of wine went straight to my head, and I ended up overindulging on appetizers and desserts. My stomach was in knots and I I slept horribly, waking throughout the night. I woke up exhausted and still feeling anxious.
When we skip meals, our hormones go haywire. Not eating all day before a dinner party triggers a release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Your body releases these hormones to get your blood sugar back to a healthy level. This can make you feel wired, irritable, hangry, bloated, and even faint and exhausted.
So the day of a holiday party, ensure you nourish your body with balanced meals. You will still be able to enjoy all the delicious food and have a much more enjoyable time because your stress hormones won’t be through the roof. Added bonus: you’ll wake up refreshed with much less chance of a hangover!
If you want one-on-one support to thrive versus survive Christmas, click here to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
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