And We Are Back…
Life has taken myself & many of
T.H.E. My Warrior Life team members on quite the journey these last couple of weeks.
We thank you for all your prayers.
Have a Blessed Holiday,
Wendy & T.H.E. My Warrior Life Family
The holidays bring about so many wonderful things.
The music, the memories, family time, games, vacations, warm feelings and…. FOOD! This time of year is almost obsolete without the thought of turkey and Mac n cheese, pies and pastries, and other huge spreads of dishes that are endless. The plates and portions come in massive quantities and the left overs go on for days at a time. We are surrounded by love and all of the emotion that comes with it and everything we’ve ever known about food and self control goes out the window. The question becomes, how do we enjoy ourselves, while attempting not to over indulge to the point of a food coma crisis.
It can be quite overwhelming to think of all of the things that need to get done during this time of year and still remain conscious of our health BUT its a must. You don’t want to be scrambling at the top of the year trying to get it together; instead lets look at some simple things that you can be mindful of while still enjoying every part of this season.
First and foremost, BE mindful! I know, I know! What does that mean, what does it look like, how do we do that. It’s very simple, take a few moments for your self at the top of every morning to breathe, sit with yourself, reflect, journal, meditate, pray, ground, what ever you need to do to bring yourself back into your body. It’s vital during this time of year (and always) with all of the external stressors that tend to pop up. Practicing mindfulness is a wonderful source for manifesting and perpetuating peace in and through out your life. This trickles down into almost all of the other “hacks” I have for you this holiday season.
This leads us into checking our stress levels, and remaining aware of how we can be proactive in our actions this season, so that, things do not build to the point of overwhelm. When we practice mindfulness we allow a moment to check in with ourselves FIRST so that we can better check in with others. This time of year is filled with hearts full of giving; but remember you can’t pour from an empty glass, you must give from the overflow. Stress, often, leads to stress eating, in order to not spiral down that path we must be mindful, take responsibility, and be honest about where we are.
IT’S OK TO SAY NO!
Once we take account of where we are within the stress that this season can bring we can then stop and ask ourselves, “Why am I eating? What I’m eating?”
Speaking of managing stressors, one (of many) great ways to keep things in line is staying active. I know, its particularly hard when family is over to visit, the weather has changed, it’s now chilly outside and it feels SO good to stay under those covers all cuddled up BUT getting up and moving can and will significantly reduce the feeling of stress or overwhelm. If it is too cold to leave the house find workout videos online, pop in an old dvd, set a timer on your phone and get moving; it will give you time to yourself AND it will help to keep your body in great shape, making for a much better feeling healthy holiday season.
Although this is such a beautiful time of year, for many people it can bring about a deep yearning for connection and a heaviness due to the loss of loved ones. When it comes to the emotions and memories that fill our hearts, some joyful and some achingly painful, it is ok to be proactive and reach out to a professional seeking comfort through therapeutic measures. It’s ok, to not know what to do, it’s ok to feel what is showing up and it’s ok to ask for help. It can be very difficult and in order to stay well, we must do our best NOT to fill that emotional void with food or spending in excess or things that will not truly heal our souls but in turn add more stress. If you need to speak to someone there are abounding resources available to you! You are loved!
Now, I have just a few more things, that can help to get you through this season in a healthy and happy way. When it comes to the big meals, DO NOT starve yourself in hopes to enjoy those meals more. It is and can be detrimental to all of the progress you’ve made and truly hurt the internal workings of your digestive system. I have heard far too many people say, “I’m not eating 2 days before thanksgiving, so that I can make room for my meal” and although we laugh and it can sound funny, I have seen it done. This is a huge NO, if you are putting your best foot forward in your wellness journey. It can in fact backfire as your body now goes into actual starvation mode, hoarding and holding onto all of the unhealthy ingredients that have piled up not allowing your digestive system to truly work at an optimal level. Wake up, eat a balanced breakfast, have a nice lunch, and then enjoy your thanksgiving/Christmas dinner etc. That way your body stays at a normal eating level and you have less of a chance of over indulging on unhealthy things.
This may sound simple BUT a very easy hack to make sure that you do not go over the top is chewing your food fully, put it into practice and make it a habit. Most of us do not take the time to properly chew our food, therefore not giving our digestive enzymes a chance to work properly. We eat our food in a hurry and wonder why we still feel hungry 5 minutes later, it’s because we’re not chewing! You will be surprised at what a difference this will make in feeling better and as a bonus keeping those extra pounds off.
Speaking of not over doing it, we are always left over with TONS of leftovers. A great idea that I heard was to package all (or some) of those leftovers up and take them to a homeless shelter. Put this hack into place, save your body the damage that all of the extra food will do, AND help your community while doing it.
Lastly, if you’re going to indulge in a celebratory drink, make it a glass (or 2) of champagne and do away with the wines (white in particular) and the cocktails. The juices and mixers used to make these drinks are filled to the brim with sugars and processed ingredients, want to still enjoy the evening but cut the unnecessary calories, here’s a way to do it! I’m all about finding a harmonious balance, not separating the worlds of wellness and fun. You can have both, do both and be both all while remaining mindful of what you put into your body.
Take control of your health this holiday season, don’t let it take control of you. You are divinely whole and you deserve nothing but the best in and around you!
Cheers to a beautiful, healthy and joy filled season!
