by Katie Barnes
Holiday Body Magic- It’s All in Your Mind!
With the holidays just around the corner, here are eight ways to de-stress and get ready for a bright New Year… The trick is to keep your body on track while keeping your mind in top shape!
- Stop what you are doing and take a deep breath. Notice your breathing and nothing else for one minute. Take another minute to focus on the simple objects around you, slowly noticing color, sound, light, and texture.
- Close your eyes and for another minute and focus your thoughts on something you love. Open your eyes and take another breath. Look around and notice if you are breathing more easily and naturally and without tension. Return to this exercise as needed throughout the day.
- Begin a food and exercise journal one month before your vacation begins, assigning three pages to one day. Write down complete meals, snacks and drinks on one page and all exercise and workouts performed on the other.
Agree that you will journal these things for a minimum of one month from your starting date.
Write down three things for which you are grateful on the third page and any comments about those.
Read over and sign off on all pages each night before bed. - Eat breakfast every day: make sure it contains some protein, fruit and whole-grains.
Take the time to sit down while eating; being conscious of the flavors, textures and amounts you are taking in.
Share a meal with friends or listen to your favorite music instead of watching television or being online and tuning out your senses. - Do 30 minutes of exercise every morning, making sure that you are raising your heart rate and breaking a sweat for the entire time. Workouts done before the day starts can become addictive- they are easy to fit into a schedule, leaving you energized and inspired to keep up the good work!
- Resist the urge to beat yourself up for not having time to get in your hourly gym or class routine. Use the holiday time as a chance to relax and prepare for the start of the year ahead, knowing that you will return to your routine at that point. Be conscious of staying active in any way you can as this will help maintain your weight and fitness levels… a little work each day goes a long way over time.
- Let your body know that you care by booking a massage, facial, hot sauna or spa treatment. Bodywork release toxins and stimulates the muscles to unwind and the cells to regenerate, repair and heal tissue.
- Stop the daily weigh-in.
Limit yourself to climbing the scale only twice per month and with a minimum of a week in between.
Focus on how your clothes look and feel, rather than what number on the scale you think you should be. Most people look and feel amazing, well before they reach “the number” in their heads.
Change is not a number… it’s a feeling!
Happy Holidays!
Katie
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