surviving the holidays part 2: stress

//lululemon

a mile long to-do list + a booked calendar = stress. the holidays are my absolute very favorite time of year, but sometimes i can get so swept up in the hurriedness that i miss what i love the most: spending time with family and friends, cheesy Christmas music, the magic of the lights at night, the mystery of the birth of Christ and the joy of dear old santa.

here are some ways to make the most of the season without losing your mind:
1. start shopping early. if you get your list knocked out you'll be less stressed and spend less. waiting til the last minute equals spending more money on most likely a gift that you aren't in love with.
2. MAKE time for exercise. getting out those endorphins is crucial. whether it's a long walk, a hike, riding your bike, running, practicing yoga, etc. make it fun!
3. eat well and your body will feel happier.
4. order cards early and get them mailed. this makes me feel ultra accomplished knowing that we're sending joy to people we love. i ADORE getting cards in the mail.
5. try not to overcommit. this can be tricky. i hate to say no or to hurt anyone's feelings, but we can't do it all.
6. consider a gift exchange if you have a big family or just sharing a meal together instead of exchanging gifts. quality time is the best present, right?
7. having quiet time to rest the soul.
8. make time to celebrate as a family. we are using the advent calendar to do something special each day.

side note: i tend to feel really guilty about overindulging during the holidays. as simple as i try to make it, i feel like we are constantly fighting to eat healthy. it's so hard sometimes.

how do you deal with the stress of the holidays?

surviving the holidays part one: food

beautiful crocheted vegetables spotted on ginny branch's pinterest.

with the holidays upon us (as well as the egg nog, pumpkin pie, let's not even mention peppermint milkshakes, etc) our unhealthy food intake is certainly bound to rise. even though i think indulging is absolutely necessary (once in a while), this is how sam and i lost weight during the holidays last year.

when sam and i started our healthy food journey (a year from last august) we were purely doing it to lose weight. i gained a lot of pregnancy weight and sam was eating right along with me. then we started eating better because we felt better. something interesting to me that i heard from a friend was that the holidays are the time of year when most people get sick. part of the reason for this is that everyone's immune systems have been lowered due to the amount of sugar they are consuming. makes sense right? your body is focusing on how to process and break down all of that pumpkin pie instead of tending to and fighting off whatever germs are making their way in.

so, here are some things that we do to feel our best without sacrificing the pleasures that come with the holidays:

1. try and eat clean every day. this means lots of organic vegetables, some fruit, some meat, little to no dairy.
2. save your "cheat meals" for holiday parties. you don't want to be the lame-o that's turning down cocktail wieners and the cheese plate.
3. limit your treats to the main affairs: thanksgiving, christmas eve, and christmas day. by all means treat.yo.self.
4. if you want a peppermint chocolate chip milkshake (warning the nutritional info is terrifying on this one, better not to look), have one! ONE. get it out of your system because otherwise you'll be grumpy and fixated.
5. the main thing is not to spiral out of control. with cookies showing up at the office and neighbors bringing over chocolate covered pretzels, it can be hard to do. sometimes you just have to have some self-control. the more you practice this, the easier it gets.
6. avoid drinking a lot of alcohol. when you drink it lowers your inhibitions, thus making you an easier target. again, save the merry making for the big days.
7. eat before you go to parties. if you are full when you get there, you're less likely to make bad choices.

i wanna hear your tips for dealing with pushy people, this can be one of the hardest parts of the holidays. i call them feeders. the bottom-line is you want to treat your body good and they don't live in your body. it's ok to politely say no.

side note: i am so not perfect. these are things i try to do. i definitely have my weak moments, but they usually come when i'm hungry. snacking throughout the day really helps, as well as keeping crap out of your house.