Hi Everyone!
It’s Coach Ronnie! I wanted to share the article I wrote for my health column that was published this past Sunday in “Envision” magazine, which is a bi-monthly insert in The Daily Telegram newspaper in Adrian. Enjoy!
It’s the Holiday Season – BRING IT ON!
It’s hard to believe that we’ve officially entered the last quarter of 2017! Around this time every year, I ask myself if I made the most of the summer, as I’m not much of a snow bunny. Knowing that I probably won’t see much sunshine or feel its warmth for a while, I’m regretful when I remember all the days I stayed inside, looking out the window at the beautiful sunshine, but not taking advantage of it. Sigh.
Something similar happens for many of us during the month of January. That feeling of regret pops up as we look back on the last quarter of the previous year. Retailers and marketers had a field day, encouraging us to eat and spend frivolously, leaving us to suffer the consequences.
It’s a fact that we legitimize our indulgences during the holiday season, only to end up spent — physically, mentally, and financially — at the onset of the New Year. Our bodies are depleted of nutrition, and our bank accounts depleted of money! And then, facing reality, wishing that we would have made wiser choices, or that we had been more disciplined.
Preparation is Key
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail, is one of Benjamin Franklin’s more popular quotes. This is sound advice when it comes to keeping yourself healthy — both financially and physically — during the holidays. To do this, while still enjoying the holiday season, we must begin NOW to set our boundaries — our own personal rules. Doing so will allow us to start the New Year off with a bang…and no regrets!
Finances
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), American consumers expect to spend, on average, $800 this holiday season. How much do YOU plan on spending? Do you even have a holiday budget?
Without knowing your personal spending limits, and then committing to not exceeding them, you’ll likely drag a heavy burden of debt into the New Year, 2018. Why not take a few moments now to plan your holiday spending?
Here are some tips:
- Know who you need to buy gifts for, and set a limit on how much you’ll spend on each person.
- Besides gifts, what other things do you need to budget for? Holiday decorations? A Christmas tree? Ingredients to bake cookies? Hosting dinner for 10 guests? Plan your spending appropriately.
- Review your expected holiday spending in detail, and decide which things are essential, and which are unnecessary. Before making ANY holiday purchase, stop and think if it’s truly a necessary one (often, it’s not).
- Set your limits and stay within them! Respect yourself enough to be disciplined and not allow your spending to get out of control.
- Consider putting away a set amount each week, starting now. Even if it’s only $15 a week, you’ll have over $100 by Thanksgiving to buy a few gifts on Black Friday, without having to use your charge card! And in 2018, you can start your weekly savings earlier in the year. Maybe you won’t need to use a credit card at all!
Physical Health and Wellbeing
According to The New England Journal of Medicine, the average weight gain during the holidays is just one pound! This fact may lead us to believe that indulging in food and drink won’t have an impact on our health in the long run.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. That one, silly extra pound will most likely never leave. And since the average adult gains one to two pounds a year as she gets older, then it’s likely that those waist-expanding pounds that appear in the future were put on during the holidays each year! Furthermore, if you’re overweight already, then your average weight gain during the holidays will tend to be more than the one-pound average.
Being a Health Coach, I tend to focus on the lack of nutritious food and drink consumed during the holidays. Family gatherings, parties, and other holiday events are invitations to indulge in food and drink containing empty calories and little nutrition.
Two of the biggest culprits are sugar and alcohol. Large amounts of sugar consumed via cookies and other baked goods and sugary desserts wreak havoc on our bodies (high sugar intake is linked to diabetes, heart disease, and obesity), as does the increased consumption of alcoholic and sugary beverages.
So, as you can see, the potential weight gain is less of a concern than the fact that we neglect our body’s nutritional needs during the holidays by indulging in food and drinks that are detrimental to our health and wellbeing.
Here are some tips to help you stay physically healthy during the holiday season:
- Know your food and drink weaknesses, and set your rules prior to an event. If Aunt Jenny’s sugar cookies are your downfall, then make a promise to yourself that you’ll only have one, and that you’ll savor every bite.
- Prior to an event, drink a glass of water or eat a healthy snack, such as some fresh fruit or veggies. Don’t go to a food-filled party on an empty stomach, feeling famished.
- Practice mindful eating. Don’t rush through meals or devour everything in sight while socializing in front of the dessert table. Stop and be present, chewing every bite thoroughly. Really take in — and ENJOY — every sight, sound, smell, and taste of the event, and acknowledge that food is only a small part of the experience.
- For some, the holidays are not always enjoyable, and may be a dreaded and depressing time of year. Be prepared by keeping yourself busy with hobbies or other pleasant distractions. However, don’t ignore negative feelings that overwhelm you or interfere with daily living. If necessary, seek professional help or talk to a close friend.
Don’t let the holiday season catch you by surprise! If you prepare now, you can maintain control over your financial and physical health during these last three months of the year, allowing you to enjoy celebrating with family and friends, with no strings attached come January!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS from Coach Ronnie!
