Staying healthy over the silly Season...
Written By @Nicki_Munro , Images by Tia Logan
But let’s be real…
Unless you have a sporting event in January, Christmas and the new year is not the time to start or tighten up your health and fitness regime. Why? Family and friends are visiting, you’re visiting, Mondays could be Sundays, and temptations are never too far out of your peripheral. But this isn’t permission to let loose and set your health conscience off on a vacation of its own. Rather, lets just put ourselves into maintenance mode. This means we won’t be aiming for any breakthrough weeks, but we’re also not going to devour the entire box of scorched almonds. Let’s just aim to come out the other side no worse off than when we entered. For a two-week period, this is totally realistic without being the dull one at the party. Read on for some tips and ideas to get you through…
Stay active! In the Coromandel there are no excuses – activities are abundant. It doesn’t have to be strenuous, just aim for consistency with a daily activity of 45 mins or more. Here are some ideas:
A beach / bush / estuary / hill walk
Surfing or boogie boarding
Kayaking
A game of tennis or golf
Outdoor games or sports with the kids
Swimming in the river / estuary / or beach
Taking a fitness class
Aim for fun or freedom as your purpose and this will make it much easier to stick to.
Keep the fridge and pantry stocked with the good stuff as well as the…other good stuff. No-one’s fridge is full of salad and kombucha alone at Christmas. But it should include it! Make sure that when you’re feeling hungry or thirsty you at least have the opportunity to make a healthy choice first. When you come in from a hot day, quench your thirst with a cold glass or two of water with a slice of lemon or cucumber before grabbing a beer. Or if you just got back from the beach and you’re feeling ravenous, make sure there are stocks for a healthy sandwich or smoothie, otherwise the bag of chips and dip is going to get first pick. Here are some things I like to have in my fridge and pantry through the summer to make healthy choices easier that are still tasty and satiating:
Chopped up carrots and celery kept fresh in a sealed container of water for easy snacking.
Loads of hummus to accompany the above
Hard cheeses and fresh seasonal fruits
Berries
Smoked fish
Marinated mussels
Rice crackers
Nut butters (peanut, almond, cashew etc) – on a rice cracker, smeared onto a slice of apple, or straight from the jar!
Protein powders for quick shakes and smoothies
Dark Chocolate (darker the better)
Non-alcoholic drinks e.g kombucha, soda water and sugar free / reduced-sugar mixers. If you have lots of space in your fridge it’s nice to have a large jug with filtered water prepared each morning and a choice of fresh flavouring like cucumber and mint leaves, or lemon and orange slices with a sprig of thyme.
Create your space and give it priority. Take time to fill your cup so that you can pour into the many others you see over this time – your partner, children, extended family and friends, and even strangers. This is a bonus tip, but probably the best thing I can recommend for staying well mentally and physically through what can be a hectic time for a lot of people. Here’s what I would do for Christmas eve through to the end of the first week of January.
Choose a time of day, be it early morning, mid-afternoon, or early evening (it really doesn’t matter but it helps to keep it consistent).
Make it for an hour (give or take) and set an alarm 15 minutes beforehand so there’s no forgetting.
Let your family know you are reserving this daily time for yourself over the holiday period so that they can support you (and don’t wonder where you keep disappearing off to everyday).
Fill this space with your feel-good activity. It might change daily, or it might stay the same the whole way through. Some ideas include a daily walk, meditation, bike ride, surf, time to read a book, or even have a nap. Whatever it is, it should be for your own wellbeing and joy which will spill over into the many relationships you uphold over Christmas
Most importantly – guard this time. All your other habits might go out the door over Christmas, but this one is worth making and keeping.
I’m pretty sure you’d agree, none of the above sounds like a stringent health and fitness plan for this social season. It’s been a trying year, and we don’t need any more rules to ruin the fun of a long-awaited holiday. Give yourself a break (you did the mahi, you earnt the treats) and show yourself some kindness instead. We all know what the “need a holiday from the holiday” feeling is like though, so let these guidelines give you some ammo for having a healthy yet fun break, and feeling recharged for …. Whatever 2022 has in store?!
@Nicki_Munro from @WiiC.co is on Instagram for more tips and updates over the holiday period.