We talked about it on the podcast this week, but wanted to drop in here to a) wish everyone a healthy, safe holiday, and b) remind you that no matter how your healthy habits fare this holiday season, it’s only one week (or even a couple days) out of your year. Don’t let a couple over-indulgence moments derail you from shifting back to healthy habits, just enjoy the moments and skip the guilt.
And if you do want to keep some “health” going while still taking a bit of a break from a strict training/eating regimen, we recommend:
- Getting enough sleep. We cannot stress this enough, and spent a lot of time talking about it on the podcast this week. This could look like your usual 7 to 9 hours, or maybe even adding a mid-day nap.
- Moving! This doesn’t have to be the Festive 500. You can go for walks, chill rides with family, or—our top recommendation—drag the family into a consummate athlete style christmas where you pull out the soccer ball, engage in an epic snowball fight, play some pond hockey, have a hardcore dance marathon, or engage in a violent table tennis match. Mix it up!
- Keep some bookends if possible. For me, this is a healthy morning with my 10 minutes of yoga/core, and chugging a big glass of water before getting into the coffee. (I also use a magnesium powder at night, which guarantees that I also chug a huge glass of water before I go to bed.) Keeping some of your little healthy habits going, especially if you’re worried you might not get back on board with them if you do forget about them for a week, is a good idea!
- Approach holiday buffets with balance. Absolutely enjoy that pie and stuffing and other delightful stuff that goes with holiday dinner, especially those once-a-year traditions (my mom’s apple cake is a big one for me!). But try to also ensure that you add some bright colored veggies and leafy greens to your plates whenever possible. The same applies to drinking: We’re not suggesting you abstain entirely (unless you’re into that). We just recommend making sure you’re drinking plenty of water as well.
- Enjoy these days! We said it before and we’ll say it again: If you feel guilty every time you eat a bite of pie, that’s not a fun way to spend the holidays. It’s not fulfilling. Just enjoy the damn pie for what it is. We will be!
Again, have a wonderful, very happy holiday!!
-Molly and Peter
Want more content like this? Check out our book, Becoming A Consummate Athlete, right here:
