Navigating 'Health' during the Festive Season

I love the Christmas period – cosy evenings, time with loved ones & delicious food! It’s great, right?

Of course, it is great. However, is can also be a little overwhelming, particularly for the health-conscious among us. Navigating a culture of indulgence and excess, followed by resolutions and restrictions in the New Year, comes with its challenges. Should we stick to our healthy habits regardless of the season, or take the opportunity to be care-free?

This is something that I have thought about extensively over the past couple of years. After a lot of reflection, I’ve found a balance which works for me; a balance which allows me to embrace and enjoy the season whilst feeling good in my mind & body. So, I want to share a few tips with you - this is where I would start if I was looking to find my 'perfect' balance all over again.

Make sure that the choices you make are truly yours.

It's easy to be ‘swept up’ in festive traditions which, whilst fun, can cause us to make choices on auto-pilot.

Everyone eats until they're stuffed, so we do too.

Everyone drinks wine with dinner, so we do too.

Everyone stays up until 2am, so we do too.

If you want to make these choices during the Christmas period, then please do – there is nothing inherently wrong with them! BUT, the key is to reflect on whether you have in fact made that choice or whether you’ve just gone along with the crowd - despite, perhaps, preferring something different.

When we are clear about what we truly want, we can make decisions activity; from a place of empowerment. This gives us the freedom to decide when health is/isn't a priority for us & align our actions with our values. In turn, we feel confident in our decisions (regardless of how objectively 'healthy' they are) & remove any guilt which may otherwise arise from decisions which we never truly ours.

What could you ADD to your day or plate to which would make you feel great?

Cosy evenings on the sofa, yule log & mulled wine - I love Christmas food & activities! I’m a strong believer that we should not pursue our health goals at the expense of these joyful moments. However, I also want to feel vibrant & energised…and a week of mince pies alone is unlikely to get me there! So, I like to focus on what I can add to my plate or day to support my health, alongside the festive food & activities which I'm enjoying.

What could you do to improve your meal/day by just 1%?

• Could you add a few portions of fruit/veg to your breakfast before spending the day at Christmas markets?

• Could you get outside in the day ahead of a cosy night in?

• Could you prioritise your hydration throughout the day ahead of an evening at the pub?

  
  

The compounding effect of these seemingly small tweaks can make a world of difference to how we feel - both physically & mentally.

Finally, I find it helpful to remind myself of the bigger picture and what ‘being healthy’ really means.

To me, ‘being healthy’ means building a strong body and mind which will support me throughout my life. To achieve this, our habits must be sustainable; a foundation which we can ‘dial up’ or ‘dial down’ in certain moments.

Whether we are ‘healthy’ is not determined by one meal, one day or one week. It is the accumulation of small habits over years and decades – and embracing the festive season won’t take away from that.

So let’s aim for a balance which allows us to feel good in our bodies, whilst not missing out on any of the good stuff!

Wishing you all a wonderful festive period!