This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Stay on Track!

How was your Thanksgiving celebration? Does it already seem like a distant memory now that we are in the midst of the holiday chaos?  Can you believe there is only a mere three weeks until the big holiday week! Despite the chaos, I really enjoy this time of year.  I love the family traditions, music, decorations and celebrations with friends and family. 

However, like many of you, I also struggle to find a balance between continuing to eat healthy meals and exercise with the consistent barrage of temptations we are seduced by each day and the time crunch resulting from endless to-do lists. For me, it creates a lot of anxiety that can damper my enthusiasm.  So, if you share my desire to maintain balance over the next month, I would like to share some strategies to help you navigate your way. Having a plan for how you want to approach all that's on the horizon is a smart idea. It can help you enjoy the holiday season and all the festivities with a lot less stress and angst.  

First, I would suggest looking at each week as a whole and then each day individually. Success comes from planning, each weekend take a look at your upcoming week. Put your exercise plans into your daily calendar and treat them as a priority. Be willing to get up early to fit exercise in if your day is packed with other activities. Exercise is a great opportunity to relieve a little stress and to take a break from "running" around so that you can regain your patience and perspective. When meal planning, make a concerted effort to prepare really healthful meals on the evenings you are home and not entertaining or celebrating with others.  

Find out what's happening in Medfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Any day that you have a party or function, don't skip breakfast in an attempt to control overall calorie intake. Stockpiling your calories for a big meal at the end of the day rarely works. What typically happens is that you actually consume far more calories than you would have if you had eaten evenly throughout the day. Instead for breakfast and lunch enjoy a good balance of unprocessed carbohydrates (fruit, vegetables and whole grains) and protein (eggs, dairy, nuts and nut butters). Before you head off for the evening, eat a light high fiber snack (like an apple) to take the edge off your hunger. You don't want to arrive at the party famished and cranky!  

Once you arrive, don't stand near the food displays. Try to position yourself somewhere where the food isn't visible to you or easily reachable. This will help keep you from mindless eating while socializing. Instead, enjoy the people around you, engage in the conversation and be present with them. Decide which things being served are your favorites and savor those rather than piling up everything available on your plate.  At the end of the evening, if you are hosting a gathering at your home, send all of the left overs home nicely wrapped with your guests.

Find out what's happening in Medfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Thankfully, when the month draws to a close you have an opportunity to start anew. The turn of a new year is an excellent time to start fresh. If you aren't exactly sure how to go about that, how about attending one of my 3 Steps Toward Optimal Health program workshops? These complimentary seminars will present an overview of this life changing three step program that focuses on nurturing and reviving your body by eating an abundance of healthy food over a 14-day period. This structured eating plan will help you to remove excess toxins in your body, jump start weight loss and transition you to a healthier way of eating. Look for dates and locations on my website or sign up to receive my January healthletter (see right margin on my website). What have you got to lose? 

In the mean time, remember to pause each day and appreciate this time of year. Look through your children's eyes (or the eyes of children around you) and embrace their excitement. Play your favorite holiday songs while you are in the car running errands. Find little ways to enjoy each day.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?