Stores are decked with tinsel and holly, while festive gourds and dinnerware are on display. It’s the most wonderful time of the year; once again it’s holiday season!
Get ready for cutting the turkey and then waiting in lines on Black Friday for things you didn’t know you needed. Get ready to study for finals and also prepare your home for holiday guests and family.
Do the holidays have to mean gaining weight while losing your mind? It doesn’t have to be this way. The way you live life is based on various components of wellness that come together. They are physical, social, environment, emotional, spiritual and intellectual.
If you can keep your health and wellness in balance by creating a game plan, you can actually enjoy the holidays while also keeping up with life as a college student.
Physical wellness is a personal priority that I keep in mind, although it is only one component in the wheel of wellness. I enjoy making a plan of what workouts I want to get done over the week.
The CDC says that people should strive for at least 2 1/2 hours of physical activity per week. I understand that everyone is busy with putting up decorations, shopping for gifts and cooking delicious feasts, but those 2 1/2 hours don’t have to be something boring. Put on your favorite playlist and just dance while you clean up or put up decorations.
Keep in mind that exercise is not enough for your physical wellness. What you eat and put into your body is also key information. What foods do you find yourself reaching for during the holidays? It makes it difficult for me working at Kroger and seeing the aisles full with peppermint bark and chocolates galore. Sometimes I am tempted and loose all control.
However, there are healthier food options for the holidays that will also keep family traditions alive. One common example is substituting fatty and foods for healthier options, such as swapping regular mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower. Don’t knock it until you try it! Also, you can reach for deserts that have actual fruit or even make your own food rather than buying prepackaged foods, so that you can be sure of what you are getting out of your food.
For all aspects of wellness, it seems that they all stem back to who you surround yourself by, especially during the holidays. If you are studying for final exams, but you are not taking time to self-reflect and also enjoy time with friends and family, you may be sacrificing your social, environment, emotional and spiritual health and over all wellness.
Keep the balance. Make a plan. Where are you traveling to? What are you going to be doing every day of vacation? Make a schedule of who you are going to spend time with and what you want to get done during your breaks in November and December, but also leave room for last-minute plans. That way, you can keep up with what matters the most to you. You can make your holidays meaningful and also keep up with your health and wellness.
