Enjoying a healthy Christmas is possible..and even…enjoyable?. We say yes!
The key is to avoid falling into excessiveness during your celebrations. Oftentimes, it can be easy and oh so tempting to fall into excessive habits during this time of the year. Dinners with the family, get-togethers with friends, and endless culinary temptations become the perfect opportunity to put aside our healthy habits.
In just a few days, we can throw away the effort made during the year to maintain a healthy lifestyle – and carry that lenience forward into the new year. That’s why, to help you face this festive season in the most balanced way possible, we have put together a series of tips for you. Take note!
Eat, Enjoy, be Merry and Stay Healthy
During this time of the year, it is very likely that our diet is affected by the holiday feasts. Weight gain seems inevitable, and some studies prove it, such as this one published by The New England Journal of Medicine.
Christmas weight (weight gained between mid-November to mid-January) significantly affects annual weight gain among adults. However, with some planning, it is possible to prevent it altogether.
Let’s start with food. Finding healthy recipes on the Internet is simple. However, the website Eating Well is one of the best to accomplish this task. They have compiled a series of delicious and healthy recipes for this time of year, capable of satisfying the most demanding palate.
Let’s start with food. It is very easy to find healthy recipes on the internet. We suggest the website Eating Well, which compiled a series of delicious and healthy recipes for this time of the year, able to satisfy the most demanding palate.
Last but not least, we suggest you read the article Tips For Healthy Eating During The Holiday Season by Obesity Canada, which contains excellent suggestions on how to enjoy all the culinary delights the holiday season has to offer while maintaining healthy eating habits.
Drink in Moderation
Health Canada considers moderate daily alcohol consumption two standard drinks for women and three standard drinks for men. If this daily dose is exceeded during a specific period, such as the Christmas holidays, it can be detrimental to our health – not just the morning after, but in the long-term as well.
On the other hand, do not forget to drink plenty of water to hydrate yourself well, whether you drink alcohol or not, since water is essential for the body to perform all its functions properly.
Mental Health Matters
Mental health can be a work in progress at the best of times, but the holidays can be an especially challenging time for some. Between the financial toll of gift giving, the pressure to spend time with family, and seasonal winter blues, there are many reasons why the holidays would impact mental health.
As always, health doesn’t start and end at physical health – it’s important to continue to take care of your mental health too. As the importance of mental health continues to be recognized, Canadians from all walks of life have resources to help:
- Employee Assistance Programs
- Virtual Health Platforms
- Digital Therapy Platforms
- Private Counselling
- Community Mental Health Agencies
Ranging from publicly funded to employer-sponsored to paid out-of-pocket, you have options available to you, such as the one offered by the Centre For Interactive Mental Health Solutions, a free program to combat depression, that you complete on your own.
Stay Active
The free time we enjoy at Christmas is a golden opportunity to be more active. Nowadays, there are many options and incentives to get our bodies away from the computer desk (or couch, or bed, or gamer’s chair…)
From outdoor activities such as skating, skiing, and snowboarding to activities one can enjoy from home such as cycling, strength training, yoga, and pilates, there’s something for everyone. If you have a competitive streak or need help being held accountable, an activity logger such as an Apple Watch or even your health app on your smartphone can track your daily, weekly, and long-term activity.
We can also make some adjustments to our daily routine such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk to the destination of a meeting or back home whenever possible. And if we use public transportation, we can get off at an earlier stop and walk the rest of the way. Though these things seem small, that’s the point – they ARE small! These seemingly tiny changes add up over time and work towards forming healthy long-term habits.
Get Enough Sleep
This one’s far easier said than done, we know. Social gatherings plus winter break can lead to a temporary habit of going to bed later than usual and, therefore, reduce and affect the quality of our sleep. The ideal duration of the average adult’s nightly rest is sleep between 7-9 hours. This time frame allows your body to recover and ensures it does not ask for more carbohydrates than it really needs the next day.
Staying Healthy Helps You Qualify for Life Insurance
Staying healthy isn’t just about feeling and looking good, it can actually get you immediate benefits – both literally and figuratively. If you’re looking for life insurance, your good health can qualify you TODAY for lower premiums.
Life insurance isn’t just for you. It is to protect your loved ones to maintain the lifestyle you provide for them should the worst ever happen. At Term Life Insurance, we are confident that we will find the coverage that best fits your needs. If you are interested in discovering your options and getting a free no-obligation quote, fill out our application form today. We’ll be happy to guide you in finding the best coverage possible for you and your loved ones.
