healthyholidaysThe festivities that come with Christmas,  Chanukah, and New Year’s Eve can be dangerous to your health – and the health of your coaching clients.   Consequently this may be the best time to share some tips on how to have a healthy holidays if they are prone to overdoing it.

I know, I know.  Unless health and nutrition is your field of coaching, you probably won’t be giving out much advice here.  But for your own sake, I’m sharing these tips with you anyway since

a) that’s part of what I do as a Chiropractor and

b) knowing these tips will help your coaching! 

Let me explain the second point a little more . . . . you see, depression is a major problem for many people is at an all-time high during the holidays. That may not come as a surprise, but here’s another idea:  while much of that depression may stem from loneliness, a lot of it also comes from the fact that people overdo it with the CARBOHYDRATES during the festive winter months . . . and carbs contribute to depression big time!

Here’s a list of the biggest offenders (They are also the ones I really have trouble laying off myself!):

  • Desserts:  Cake, cookies, candy, ice cream, fruitcake
  • Drinks:  Colas & soft drinks, sweet tea, cider, wine & beer
  • Breads:  Crackers, bread, stuffing, pretzels, pizza, canolies, breadsticks
  • Starches:  Yams, potatoes (in all forms), sweet potatoes, pumpkin, winter squashes and gourds
  • Canned Food:  All store-bought canned food is packed with starching additives like sugar, corn syrup, coloring, flavoring, and preservatives, canned tomatoes being the exception.  I can almost guarantee that those canned onion rings, beans, and meats will make their way to the nearest party casseroles!

When I first went through this list for the blog I cried myself:  “Holy Cow!  How is it even possible to have a healthy holiday?! These are all the things we love to eat!!”  Yes, they are.  So what to do?

You know both you AND your clients are not going to feel like dieting during the holidays . . . (that’s why God invented the new year, right?)  Fact of the matter is, you’re not going to stop eating those carbs, and neither is your client . . . so why am I even wasting time on this article?

Because awareness of the problem, i.e., why you or your client may be feeling a bit depressed during these next few months, is still important – even if you decide to do nothing about it.

If you actually think it might be important enough to try to take action, here are  my Five Tips for A Healthy Holidays that might help.  Feel free to share them with your family, friends, and clients:

  1. Pay attention to what you put in your body.  This alone will improve health. If you can’t lay off, just remember that moderation is the key.  Keep a diary of your eating if you really want to keep alert.
  2. Drink lots of water between meals.  This will keep you filled up and less likely to munch on sweets.  When drinking water, occasionally warm it up and put some lemon in to help your body cleanse.   Also, avoid drinking during a meal, if possible.  Drinking dilutes your digestive enzymes which may cause other health problems.
  3. Use a smaller plate when at a party.  Even if you fill it up, you won’t be able to hold as much unless you make several trips.
  4. Have a “Health Buddy” to keep track of you during and after parties and meals.  Keep each other accountable for not loading up on too many carbs.
  5. Exercise.  What is it January already?  No, but by getting an early start on your New Year’s Resolutions, you will have the whole gym to yourself AND feel much stronger and more alive during the festivities!  If you don’t have the time to go to the gym, do some walking or jogging around the block, or try bouncing on a small trampoline while watching TV.

That’s it!  Not too hard, huh?

Try these five tips out, and leave your comments below to let me know if its working!  Oh . . . and HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 

Michael