THE HOLIDAYS ARE ON THE HORIZON!

Think back to your childhood…  Holidays were ALWAYS filled with joy, excitement, and fun.  Does it have to change?

Take a few minutes and think “what does your ideal holiday look like?”  (Fuzzy targets don’t get hit so begin with a clear plan of where you are going)

Who would you spend time with?
What foods would you eat?
What presents would you purchase?
What gifts would you receive?
Where would you be located?
How would you define this holiday season as successful?

The only way to make this time meaningful is if you truly commit to taking action this holiday season.  Here are three ideas to get you started:

1.  Get up and move!

So it might be inevitable that you are going to eat more, but why does this mean that you are going to move less? Outside of overconsumption during the holidays’ people also tend to skip their daily fitness routine. There is no reason that everything needs to fall apart during the last leg of the race! We encourage you to exercise for at least 30 minutes four times each week during the holiday season.

Don’t be afraid to get creative with movement:

• Have a dance competition with your family
• Cut down your own holiday tree
• Get a partner and schedule your workouts into your calendar in permanent marker
• Park as far as possible from the mall so you have to walk
• Perform 5-minute interval exercises (push-ups, jumping jacks, running in place, crunches, etc.)
• Walk at a steady pace whenever shopping
• Play games with the kids in your family because they are usually filled with energy
• Wear a pedometer (or download a smartphone app) and try to walk 10,000 steps each day
• Sign up for a holiday race

What is your exercise plan during the holidays?

Comment with “I’M MOVIN” if you won’t abandon your workout time.

2.  Focus on more than the food

People often spend more time focusing on what they put in their mouths than on what comes out of their mouths by means of conversation. The key to controlling yourself during the holiday is to become distracted by something other than highly caloric items. Spend time playing games, telling stories, singing, dancing, and having fun! The more time you spend doing something outside of eating, the easier it will be to avoid another unhealthy holiday season.

Feel free to play a new family game, go on a family hike, do an art project, sing songs, dance around the house, etc.  Holidays are intended to create new traditions so use this time wisely because when looking back you will be overjoyed with the memories that you captured.

Challenge for you:  Have at least a ten-minute conversation with five people before taking your first bite of food at any holiday party.

3.  Be generous

One of the best ways to stay calm, content, and cheerful this time of year is to act generously with your loved ones, colleagues, and friends. This does not mean you need to spend a ton of money or do outlandish things, but the act of giving is the most rewarding experience you can create for yourself.

Whether this means giving your time, a small gift, writing a note, or simply expressing gratitude.

You can define generosity however it is best for you, but during this holiday season, make a commitment to experience the gift of helping the people you care about most. This is the ultimate solution to creating a stress-free holiday!

As Anne Frank so eloquently said, “No-one has ever become poor by giving.”

Comment with “Generosity is my Gift” if you’ll use this strategy.

We really want to empower you to take action this year because you deserve to THRIVE. Taking control of your food, movement, and stress is within reach and the ideas we just discussed will help guide you during this time of year.

Yes, the holidays will be stressful.
Yes, you will be exposed to tons of food.
Yes, you might need to spend time with people you do not enjoy.
Yes, travel can be exhausting.

But this year will be different because you are prepared to put your health first.

Prove to yourself you CAN DO IT and watch what happens to all of the goals you set in your life.

I know you have what it takes to make this holiday season happy and healthy and we’re excited to support you, both in and out of the office, and be part of this experience!