The end of the year can cause anxiety, with many people wrapping up work projects as they prepare for the holidays, travel and family.
“The holidays are a stressful time, and health maintenance is crucial for individual health and stress management,” said Lori Banker, MS, RDN, LDN, registered dietitian, Carle Richland Memorial Hospital, Olney.
It’s possible to enjoy the holiday season while maintaining your physical and mental health. The keys are to eat right, remain physically active and take care of your emotional health.
Healthy eating challenges, tips for the holiday season
“Around the holidays, many of the get-togethers involve food, and they usually are high in sugar and carbs and taste good. That makes them tempting,” said Alison Jones, RDN, LDN, Health Alliance™ health and wellness coordinator.
“Food is comfort for many people,” said Kristina Adams-Smith, RD, LDN, clinical dietitian for Carle Health in Mattoon, Effingham, the South Clinic in Urbana and Carle on Curtis in Champaign.
“Poor eating habits increase the risk of cold and flu because those less-than-healthy foods put our immune systems at risk,” Banker said.
Adding to the challenge, the busyness and travel of the holiday season can interrupt meal planning and schedules.
“Maintain, don’t gain,” Adams-Smith said. “It’s not realistic to avoid our favorite foods during the holidays. But we don’t want to gain 5 to 10 pounds either.”
Nutritional strategies for the holidays:
- Maintain a regular meal schedule and meal plan as closely as possible.
- When baking holiday goodies in advance of an event, put them in a container and seal the container so you won’t get into the goodies before the party. Consider cutting the recipe in half to limit the number of goodies in the house. After the party, if any of them are left over, save yourself a serving if you wish and give the rest away. After all, it is the season of giving.
- For people with an eating disorder, which can be triggered by stress, understand your triggers and manage your stress by having a plan and communicating that with a trusted person who can support you.
- Make holiday dishes healthier by adding more vegetables and using whole grains, lower-fat dairy, and less sugar and salt.
- Don’t go hungry to a party. During the day, eat vegetables, whole grains and fruit, and drink water. At the party, respect the traditions and enjoy your holiday favorites without overindulging.
Physical activity challenges, tips for the holiday season
Physical activity should remain a priority in December because it helps us to deal with everything else vying for our attention. Physical activity helps to burn calories, improve digestion, manage stress and enhance sleep.
Maintaining consistent physical activity helps to boost your mood and energy level, according to Alli Trainor, a certified personal trainer and fitness services manager with Carle Health & Fitness Center in Bloomington.
Consistent exercise also benefits people who are lonely during December because they don’t have close family and friends. Exercise helps to boost their mood, and fitness centers or workout buddies can give them a “gym family.”
Fitness tips and advice for the holiday season:
- Make fitness a priority during the holidays by including it in your schedule.
- With shifting schedules during the holiday season and various things vying for your attention, you may not have as much time to exercise. Remember that doing an abbreviated workout is better than not doing one at all.
- Fit in movement throughout the day. During work breaks, go for a quick walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. After work, walk your dogs or play with your kids/grandkids. The movement and additional steps will boost your heart rate and mood and burn calories.
- Add movement to family get-togethers. After the family meal, invite folks to bundle up and go for a walk or play games with the kids/grandkids outside. Some families have ping-pong or foosball tables. Games after meals can burn calories and create happy memories.
- If you miss a workout or two, don’t stress about it. Just get back into the routine as soon as you can.
Click here to view our extensive library of exercise videos and workouts that can be done from the comfort of your home with little or no equipment.
Mental health challenges, tips for the holiday season
It’s important to maintain our mental health during the holiday season because we struggle with a variety of stressors, we feel performance pressure and family anxieties, according to Katie Yesis, MA, LCPC, manager of community-based behavioral health at Trillium Place, a Carle Health affiliate providing behavioral health services in the Peoria area, Lincoln and Eureka.
“Care for yourself,” said Paula Allee-Smith, PhD, NCSP, licensed clinical psychologist, Carle Outpatient Behavioral Health, Bloomington. “Protect yourself with firm boundaries. You are at your best when you have time for self-care.” That means everything from not working overtime to avoiding certain topics during family gatherings.
Mental health tips and advice for the holiday season:
- Practice self-care to relax and recharge. Go for a walk outside, read, meditate, engage in a hobby and get enough sleep.
- Prioritize holiday tasks and obligations. It’s OK to say no to traditions and invitations that no longer fill your bucket. It’s OK to ask for help.
- Avoid impulse purchases, maintain your budget and look for discounts to reduce financial stressors.
- If you are alone or grieving, acknowledge your feelings, consider volunteer opportunities, create new traditions, and reach out to friends, relatives or neighbors.
- If you have an alcohol or drug addiction or an eating disorder, bring a supportive ally to the gathering, along with food and drink that align with your recovery goals. If you are overwhelmed, step outside or leave.
- Steer conversations to inclusive topics that everyone can enjoy. If a conversation begins to feel tense, practice grounding techniques such as deep breathing or tell the person, “I’m not comfortable discussing that,” and step away from the conversation.
Helpful resources
- Check out Hally® health for wellness tips, virtual visits, healthy recipes and fitness demonstrations.
- Take advantage of fitness resources, including Carle Health Sports Medicine in Bloomington, Peoria and Champaign-Urbana and Carle Health & Fitness Center in Bloomington.
Contributors to this article:
