DURING the Christmas holidays, it is easy to become carried away by the festivities and end up overindulging in food and drink and spending more than you can afford.
It is possible, though, to have fun and still maintain healthy habits.
Try to stick to a healthy lifestyle, despite the temptations to eat and drink to excess.
Cimas members, who are unsure about what constitutes a healthy lifestyle or what they should do to be healthier, can contact the iGo team for advice or for an appointment.
An iGo recipe book is also available for download. It contains various healthy meal suggestions.
Many people consume more food than normal over the holidays.
There are always many festive treats before and after the big Christmas day lunch; so, it is easy to pile on the calories and gain more weight.
Watch what you eat. Remember that the more you eat, the more unwanted weight you may gain.
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Drink alcohol in moderation. It is fine to enjoy a drink or two but, just as with your food intake, it is good to be mindful and aware of how many drinks you have.
Perhaps have some alcohol-free days when you choose a soft drink rather than an alcoholic one. Drink plenty of water.
Make sure you have enough sleep. So, body needs sleep so try to make sure late nights are not followed by early mornings.
Have as much sleep as your body needs to feel refreshed and rejuvenated.
Being tired can leave you grumpy, reaching for snacks or caffeine and perhaps much more to keep you going.
You may also trigger other health-related problems such as hypertension.
Rest when you feel your body needs a break.
In addition to night time sleep, do rest if you need to during the day. Relax with a book, watch a movie or take a nap.
Maintain regular mealtimes. Your body responds best to a regular routine.
Even though you may be busy out and about, entertaining or going to parties, do not be tempted to skip meals.
Eat regularly, little and often if that is what your body responds best to, but do not forget to eat. Missing a meal can make you hungry, resulting in you over-eating at the next meal.
Avoid too much snacking. If you are tempted to snack, try keeping to healthy options. Fruit, nuts and prepared vegetable sticks with dips are simple healthy snacks.
Keep up with your usual exercise routine. Regular exercise keeps your body moving, the blood pumping and the endorphins flowing.
Christmas is probably not the time to hit the gym hard if you have not been all year, but some gentle, regular exercise will help counteract the Christmas calories and maintain your personal fitness levels. Keep it simple, practical and easy to do.
Make sure you have fresh air every day.
Take a walk around the yard or your neighbourhood to boost your energy and Vitamin D levels. If it is a hot day, carry some water in a bottle to keep hydrated. Staying well hydrated is important.
Drinking a glass of water each morning is a great way to build this up into a habit.
Avoid too much screen time. There may be plenty of Christmas movies to watch but be mindful of how much time you spend in front of the TV.
Avoid any emotional stress too.
Christmas can be a challenging time for many people. You may have a lot of things to do and places to be. This can be overwhelming.
You may feel sad because loved ones cannot be with you or stressed out because of difficult family dynamics and relationships.
You might even struggle with a lack of quiet or alone time to recharge and reset.
Take note of how you are feeling and take steps to look after yourself if you feel drained for any reason. Writing in a journal or sharing with a close friend or relative can help you reconnect with yourself and your thoughts.
Clutter can also cause problems during Christmas.
Although there may be fun in the clutter that comes in the form of presents, people and food, you will find that some things can be too much such as used gift wrap, empty containers, boxes and bottles that have to be cleared up eventually.
You may have to move furniture around for the Christmas tree, add more chairs in the living room, put up festive Christmas decorations and accommodate bags from visitors and more.
Staying on top of that clutter and making sure your home stays as clutter-free and organised as possible is helpful in avoiding holiday stress and feeling overwhelmed. Reset your home at the end of every day or as often as necessary to ensure your home is clear of clutter.
Watch your finances and how you spend your money. The Christmas holiday can be an expensive time. The shops do not help by encouraging you to buy more, be it food, decorations or bargains in those Christmas holiday sales.
Although it is a great opportunity to buy things you really wanted or needed when they are on discount, spending without thinking is not helpful. It can leave you feeling stressed when hit by the inevitable January disease, when you are broke and have school fees and other commitments to pay for.
Come up with your Christmas budget and try to stick to it. Allocate a certain amount to food, gifts and anything else that you know you will be spending money on and keep tabs on how much you actually spend. When you go shopping be careful about making decisions on the go and buying things on impulse.
If you have to use a credit facility to pay for your Christmas gifts and other expenses, make sure you have a plan for paying off that debt without affecting your budgets for the next month or months to come.
The most important thing is to stay healthy and happy, while enjoying yourself and the company around you, even if this means exercising a little self-restraint when it comes to spending and how much you eat and drink.
- The information in this article is provided as a public service by the Cimas iGo Wellness programme, which is designed to promote good health. It is provided for general information only and should not be construed as medical advice. Readers should consult their doctor or clinic on any matter related to their health or the treatment of any health problem. — [email protected] or WhatsApp 0772 161 829 or phone 024-2773 0663
