How to enjoy Christmas AND stay healthy: part 2

As I mentioned in part 1 of this blog about the upcoming holidays (read here so you don’t miss out on tip #1 and 2!), Christmas is always a delicate time for our health and wellbeing, and this year maybe even more so than usual. The current global circumstances are inevitably going to have an impact on what we’ll be able to do (or not do) and without a doubt, we will all have to adapt to different ways of celebrating than usual. This may be good news in some ways (fewer excuses to overindulge and feel burnt out and guilty afterward) and not so good in other ways (the feeling of isolation and loneliness from not being able to socialize as much could lead to more comfort eating and drinking).

I am certainly very present with the overall emotional charge that revolves around the holidays: for many years, I was never fully capable of truly enjoying this time of the year without also experiencing some conflicting and even unpleasant emotions. The thing is, I like my routines, especially around food and eating; so for a long time, I struggled to find a way to enjoy this festive period whilst also staying true to my fitness, nutrition, and wellbeing needs.

It took me years, to establish healthy and balanced routines around eating in my day to day life and that is why Christmas was always a particularly sensitive period for me: my delicate routines would be thrown off for weeks and whenever I went back home to Italy, I would be flooded with all the emotional ties to certain foods from past.

Thankfully, I’ve now mastered the skills and techniques necessary to handle the festive period in a joyful and balanced way, so that I can have ALL of the fun, without any of the guilt and resentment.

For the next four weeks, I will share with you my top tips for a VERY merry, joyful, and guilt-free Christmas. If you’d like to get all these tips in one place, feel free to visit our online store now, where you’ll be able to purchase our e-book for the discounted price of ￡5.99.

So here come the third and fourth steps which will empower you along the way:

3. Read your non-negotiable guidelines every day: In my previous article, I talked about how important it is to set some simple, specific yet effective non-conditionals guidelines that you will commit to no matter what. I also talked about the importance of making them realistic (so you don’t feel overly restricted, which tends to backfire) and of writing them down (since the brain processes written information more effectively and profoundly). Today I want to encourage you to read your list of non-conditionals every single day through the holiday period. Sounds tedious? Maybe. But it works. Trust me. A daily reminder of your own commitments to your wellbeing will make ALL the difference and will prevent you from losing track, even when your environment and circumstances are not setting you up for success, which is bound to happen once or twice over the holidays! Your mind needs constant training and new thoughts need constant reinforcing, so by reading these guidelines every day you will prevent slip-ups that may turn into an “all-out” scenario. I’ve been there, I’ve done that and I can assure there’s nothing joyful about overdoing it!

4. Share your non-negotiable rules openly to selected people in your life: I don’t mean just stopping people at the supermarket to tell them all about why you don’t eat chocolate before 5 pm. Nor do I mean lecturing your friends and families on all your commitments to eating raw veggies at every meal, but if the occasion arises and if the person in front of you is of a supportive nature, I suggest you be honest and open. If your aunt offers you something you committed to not eating, drinking, or doing at that moment in time, feel free to tell her about your non-negotiable boundaries, why you’ve come up with them, and how they help you stay on track. Of course, the ideal scenario is to never find yourself in a situation where you feel you need to defend your commitment to yourself. Realistically, however, you can’t avoid all people and places that could tempt you and that’s why it is of paramount importance to be prepared and well-rehearsed in how to navigate them successfully. You never know, by sharing your newfound approach and non-conditionals you may just inspire someone to improve their own choices. As long as your stance is non-judgmental and non-preachy, it will go a LONG way.

So what are you waiting for? Make this the best Christmas of your life and start 2021 as you mean to go on.

There’s no better time than NOW to #maketheshift.