Thankful for You

November 2012

Monthly Newsletter

Abolishing Holiday Stress Before it Starts

Tis the season when our busy lives become more chaotic with family gatherings, travel, shopping, and so much more.  As we strive to create wonderful holiday experiences, we become overrun by the stress that comes with it.  Some of it is unintentionally self-inflicted, as we try to balance the extra obligations, and some is not.  This year, create a plan to minimize these stresses, by getting and staying organized, sticking to a fitness plan, and learning to say no.

Women are affected more physically and emotionally by stress than men, as this Everyday Health article explains, so we must be extra diligent in preventing it and managing it.  We've all heard or experienced how stress can cause weight gain, but it can also lower your sex drive, create substance abuse problems, weaken your immune system, and create dental problems from grinding your teeth at night.  When you get to the point that you feel like you can't breathe, you've let stress take over your body and mind.  So before that happens, learn to take control now.

Take a few minutes to write down what weighs on you the most during the holidays.  Chances are, they're one of the top ten dreaded things during the holiday season, found in a Consumer Reports's survey.  After you do that, think about what would make any of those problems easier.  For big tasks, set aside time everyday to work on them and delegate work to others.  For instance, will Thanksgiving be at your house?  Clean a little each day with help from others in the household and have guests bring a dish to pass.  There's no reason you need to fix every morsel, since hosting the get-together is challenging enough.  Do you have money worries with gift giving around the corner?  Set up a budget and plan out how much to spend on each person.  Perhaps it's time to be a bit Scrooge-ish to avoid holiday debt.  

Now is the time to pay close attention to what you are eating and stay active.  Don't touch that leftover Halloween candy, even if you have to lock up your kid's stash to prevent this, do it.  Come up with a meal plan, not just to avoid the extra pounds, but to eat foods that help reduce stress, like dark chocolate (just a little bit!), and keep exercising.  Try adding yoga to your fitness regimen.  There are several health benefits to this versatile activity: strength, flexibility, relaxation, rejuvenation, and pain control are among them. 

Those things take care of the bigger picture, but what about day to day management?  There are several things you can do to make each day more relaxing or enjoyable.  Wake up 15 minutes earlier to have coffee in peace and catch up on celebrity gossip.  Schedule an afternoon break to read something fun and nibble on some chocolate or have a cup of tea.  Crank up your favorite song and dance around wildly or sing along.  Don't go to bed while dishes are in the sink and messes are scattered about.  Waking up to disorder only starts your day with chaos.  Before going to sleep, write out your tasks for the next day.  It will help free your mind and allow you to fall asleep more easily.  And if you have pets, play with them, pet them, walk them, or simply watch them live in the moment.  Make a list of little activities that give you joy and refer to it when you become overwhelmed.  The more you practice stress management, the easier it will become.

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Keep Those Extra Pounds on the Turkey and Not Your Waistline  

We've all been there facing foods--appetizers, turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, alcohol and endless desserts--that we can't or won't say no to.  Overeating on Thanksgiving has become a tradition in and of itself, but this year, try to break it with these tips from WebMD.  You won't have to say no to anything, if you remember to pace yourself and take very small portions so that you can sample everything.  Then, if you are still truly hungry, you can always have seconds of something.

If any or all of the fare is in your control, make healthy ingredient substitutions to the meal.  Instead of mashed potatoes, steam and puree cauliflower; use whole wheat flour over all-purpose; serve vinaigrettes instead of creamy dressings; and omit or minimize butter and other saturated fats whenever possible.  Always avoid trans fats, as they will raise your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels.  Here are some healthy Thanksgiving recipes to make your planning easier and if you'd like further suggestions, try Hungry Girl's website, it's loaded with advice for all occasions.

Many people seem to be jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon these days, however, before you do it too, make sure it's right for you.  This way of eating is to help control digestive problems like celiac disease.  Because people eat more fresh produce and less processed foods and carbs, they feel better and often lose weight, so it has been mistaken as a weight loss diet.  Keeping your holiday meals gluten-free will be easy with these suggestions, just eliminate the marshmallows on your sweet potatoes.  Yes, they are gluten-free, but not sugar-free!  Happy gobbling!

Holiday Season Digestive Culprits

The holiday season may be the most wonderful time of year for many, but for those with digestive concerns, it can be the trickiest season of all. The mix of overindulging in not-so-healthy holiday foods, traveling on overcrowded airplanes and roadways, and dealing with holiday stress can result in...Read more... 

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