Today at the gym the trainer running the class looked and me and said, “too much holidays.” He is a Ukrainian and his English is still emerging, but I think he hit the nail on the head. I am not sure if he was looking at the solid 5 lbs I gained or the fact that I am still walking funny from Wednesday’s class. Either way, he was so right. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year are heavily celebrated in our house which means lots of friends, family, cooking, baking and cocktail making. Having family visiting kept me from the gym on a regular basis. Now, here I am feeling sluggish and sore while trying to get back into my normal routine of eating and working out. In a way I am grateful for all the overindulgence of friends and food, but in another way I want to find the key to bringing in balance over the holidays. My personal edit for the year is “balance” and here is my plan to achieving it.
As many of you know the key to feeling great and fit, is not just about working out, but about the balance of healthy personalized nutrition with a realistic approach to everything that life throws us. My steps towards balance for 2018 are in a way resolutions, but really I am just seizing the opportunity to reset a few things in hopes that they are sustainable. Here are my 5 baby steps to balance for my mind and body.
- Detox. This is always a great way to reset after the holidays. A detox is not about starving yourself, it is about eliminating things like alcohol and sugar – two of my favorite things. I am starting this 5-day Goop Annual Detox with three other friends on Sunday so we can support each other and share some of the meal prep.
- Switch the Drink. This is, of course, a post detox strategy. Sometimes I find myself in a social situation and I have had just enough alcohol that having another one seems like a great idea. Switching it up while still having a drink in your hand is the key. Whether it is decaf coffee, tea or sparkling water in a wine glass, I am going to “cut myself off.” It will eliminate unnecessary calories and my morning self will thank me. And I know that I will have just as much fun. I know what you are thinking, I should just skip the alcohol all together, but I want my steps to be realistic.
- Better Sleep. This is the holy grail of many women I know. We are constantly searching for the formula for better sleep. Supplementing with CBD Oil has truly changed my sleep for the better. I am going to take it a step further and get rid of my screens 30 minutes before I sleep. I have read many articles that reference blue screens suppressing melatonin. I am going to jump on this train and see where it takes me.
- Low or No Carb Dinner. This goes back to personalized nutrition. \Over the holidays, I fell off my wagon. “Why?” I ask myself. I know how good this makes me feel and it is the one of the major habits that helps me maintain weight.
- Tidying Up the Closet. My friend calls this the KonMari in reference to the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, the hit book by Marie Kondo. It is the equivalent of Detoxing your diet and though you may think this one is for your house, it is really for your mind. Now I am not going to go all crazy and KonMari my house because that is a bit extreme and I am trying to find balance. I am however, going to take stock of my closet. I am going to eliminate anything I haven’t touched in a while or that “does not bring me joy.” The clutter has been bother me lately. So what has been bother you?
My 5 Baby Steps to Balance – I have written them down and thrown them to the universe. Now it’s your turn. Write yours down and leave them on the comments – or just put pen to paper. You have to check back for January updates on how I am doing.
