Snowballs are for Throwing
GAME ON! The holidays are in full swing with Hanukkah coming to a close, Christmas about a week away and, holy crap, 2018 is literally staring us down!
If you are like me, you’ve likely overcommitted and now you are feeling as if everything has snowballed out of control and you can’t possibly get it all done. But it wasn’t always that way, right? You weren’t always an out of control snowball barreling down a mountain of stress. You probably started the month as a beautiful, light snowflake floating through your day. You were managing work, family, shopping for the holidays, parties, etc. But slowly your sweet snowflake self started to pick up things to do and people to entertain and places to be. And, your healthy snowflake body is now picking up stress, weight gain, exhaustion and general crankiness because you’re booked from 7 a.m. to midnight each night. And, now, with two weeks until the end of the year, you’re a hard, icy ball of stress.
I get it. Only so many hours in the day. Too much to do. Holiday stress. Blah, blah, blah.
I’m not minimizing the struggle or the demands. They are very real. But I want to caution you on letting it all take over and putting off your needs until January 1. It’s a slippery slope (no pun intended) and when you put off one thing like exercise, it’s that much easier to say “F-it” and let it all slide (pass the cookies and wine, please!).
So, with just a few weeks to go until the New Year…here are three things you can do TODAY to stop the snowball effect and stay focused.
1. Schedule (3) 30-minute workouts over the next week. Right now. Find the time, block it off and protect it. Those 30 minutes will be calorie burning, but more importantly, STRESS burning. Working out increases endorphins, reduces stress, helps you sleep better and boosts your immune system.
2. Drink more water. Look – I know I sound like a broken record with the whole WATER thing but I’m here to tell you it is the single easiest thing to do to improve your health with almost NO EFFORT! Especially in the midst of the gastronomic Olympics you are putting your body through. Drink half your body weight in ounces, or at least 64 oz. a day. You’ll feel fuller, you’ll have better digestion and your skin will glow like the sparkly lights on your tree.
3. Cancel one evening event. Yep. I know you’ve said YES to way too many things. You need your sleep and down time. Lack of sleep slows your metabolism and makes you eat more during the waking hours. Find one thing you don’t need to attend and gracefully decline. Or, outsource something that you were planning to do after work one night (have groceries delivered, shop online instead of hitting the mall, etc.). Strive for 7 hours of sleep (8 is best but I’ll take 7 during the holidays).
BONUS tip: Abstain from alcohol until Christmas arrives (or for the rest of Hanukkah). Better yet, try to wait until New Year’s Eve. Don’t shoot the messenger (especially one who loves a little Pinot Noir on a cold winter night). Alcohol is empty calories and can disrupt your sleep. Just cut it out until you absolutely have to have a glass of wine to deal with your Mother in Law.
So, that’s it…a few easy ways to refocus over the coming week and for the rest of the year so things don’t snowball.
As always, if you want more specific recommendations or have already let things get out of control, I invite you to take my FREE online assessment of your health and wellness needs. Fill it out and let’s chat. No obligation. No pressure. No BS. Just some honest talk about your goals, lifestyle, habits, and what might work for you.
Here’s the link again...When you finish it, I’ll follow-up via email to set up a time to chat.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Xoxo
Niki