I know, I know: Thanksgiving seems to be a “calories don’t count” free-for-all pass for self-indulgence. And self-indulgence with a 24-hour deadline, at that. It may just be dinner, but even if there’s no actual reason to feel pressured to eat beyond your stomach’s capacity, we’ve all been to those depths of over-eating… And by “been there,” I mean annually. But for my kindred-spirit folks who choose to regard Thanksgiving as the only opportunity to eat an entire pumpkin pie by themselves (‘tis the season, after all) here are some post-holiday health tips to reign in the effects of your cookie-cramming blackouts.
First and foremost, prioritize the special foods. Pick and choose your vices. Don’t feel bad about indulging, and instead just sidestep that point of “overindulging.” If you wait for grandmother’s peanut butter chocolate cookie balls every year, then don’t sit idly by as 365 days pass until you get a second chance. Thanksgiving and Christmas are the last days when anyone should be thinking about moderation, temperance, or self-restraint. But indulge in a way that you can rectify. You want the memories of the cookies to remain a pinnacle of the utmost food ecstasy, not a thing that you associate with nausea and self-hatred. Bend your dietary routine, but don’t break it!
The holiday season isn’t limited to just a few days! While there are periods of more or less Holiday eating fervor, the entire November and December months are riddled with temptation. As you ponder jolly thoughts on routes to and from Starbucks for a Gingerbread Latte, try to keep to a different holiday routine as well: an exercise one! Holiday seasons also tend to accompany vacations and lulls in work. Use a smidge of the extra time to devote to an exercise routine to keep your indulgences in moderation. Set specific fitness goals so that when New Years comes around, your resolutions are already well underway.
Make use of the small intervals of time that you do have. Have a good 10, 20, and 30-minute routine in your arsenal that you can squeeze in at random. Just the smallest bit can change the way your body feels almost instantaneously.
Tis the season to be jolly, but jolly should know its limits: drink in moderation if you can. Santa would never deprive you of cocktails, but excess alcohol is just unnecessary calories that you could be using on food instead. And let’s face it…nobody wants to be “that one” at the family function.
Don’t forget to hydrate! It’s all too easy to confuse hunger with dehydration. Drinking water before your meal can cut down the amount you eat. And we all know that just means more leftovers for later! Spreading the love…to your future, hungry self.
Speaking of which. If you’ve had your fill of pie, pay it forward. Donate it to one of those “Friendsgiving” occasions that people are so keen on this year. In a reverse Field of Dreams maneuver, if you will—it’s no longer “if you build it, they will come,” but “if you baked it, they will come and eat it for you.” Share the love.
Look out, Holiday Season! Here we come! Do you have any good holiday fitness tips?
Written by Ryley Johnson
