Rae Kirkpatrick – For me the holiday season brings back fond childhood memories of growing up in a small semi-rural community located in the northern suburbs of Sydney. It felt like the summers were hotter in the 70’s & 80’s? – maybe not, but the smell of BBQ’s, wrestling with swarms of flies, the buzz of cicadas, swimming in the pool before breakfast and playing with friends until the street lights came on, are the simple life experiences which I am grateful for – as a child the holiday season was 6 weeks of fun and freedom, filled with self-discovery and delight.
As an adult, the holiday season becomes a little more involved – holiday planning, purchases to be made, invites to be sent, schedules and deadlines to meet. Whoa! – Time for a deep breathe, stop and re-evaluate. In the past few years our family have simplified all things holiday season. For us it is about spending quality, relaxed time with as many close family and friends as is reasonably possible. We have brought back the ‘Bring a Plate to Share’ concept and only give presents to small children who still believe in Santa.
The holidays should be about spending quality time with those you love (that also includes giving yourself a break) and not so much about the fancy presents, perfect house or 5-course planned Christmas dinner. It is so much nicer to sit down, smell the roses and enjoy a laugh with Nan and Pop.
Although it is a time to relax and let our ‘hair down’, going overboard will leave you feeling less than rejuvenated after the summer break. This year I plan to have fun, enjoy a few indulgences, re-connect with those I love and start the New Year with renewed enthusiasm.
Would you also like to keep it simple this year? Here are my top tips to help you make it through this holiday season feeling both physically and mentally positive;
1. Take Care of Yourself – the holidays are a perfect time to shut down and unplug from the reality of your usual responsibilities. Make some time every day to do something you enjoy doing. This will help you feel rested and rejuvenated for the start of 2015.
2. Exercise – as you would normally. This is not the time to undo all the hard work you have put in leading up to the holidays. And, if you have wanted to start getting more active this is the perfect time to begin. My advice is to wake early and get your workout done before the rest of the city wakes. It is cooler, motivates you for the day ahead and watching the sunrise is empowering.
3. Get Organised – put your mind at ease and write ‘to-do’ lists. Each time you strike another task from the list it gives you more energy and enthusiasm to get what needs to be done, done. It’s amazing what can be completed once you visualise on paper what needs to be accomplished.
4. Share, rather than buy – so much stress revolves around buying presents. What if this year your gift to your nearest and dearest is to share time or an experience with them? Write a card with your New Year ‘gift’ promise – a manicure with your Mum, High Tea with Nanna, a Boys fishing trip with Dad and Pop. Think about what would make them smile and make the commitment. The long lasting memory of sharing these ‘gifts’ will far outlast anything that came in a pretty little box under the tree.
5. Sleep, Sleep, Sleep – this is the time the body and mind does all of its healing and rejuvenation. Try to get good quality rest each night. Being rested allows us to handle stress more effectively and hopefully ward of any holiday season sickness. Don’t feel obligated to stay later than you want to or see everyone who invites you to their holiday party. Listen to your body, it will always tell you what to do. A yawn, sore back or headache can all be signs that we are tired and need to get some rest.
6. Nom, Nom, Nom – holiday food, we all love it! – but try to choose wisely. Double the greens and vegetables on your plate as this will assist your body’s overall metabolism and digestive function. A happy digestive system allows us to eliminate toxins quickly. My key to regulating festive eating is to fill the plate with; 60% salad/greens, 30% meat/protein and 10% indulgence.
7. Portion Control – we love seeing the table covered with all the delicious trimmings. My tip is to serve yourself only your absolute favourite foods, not everything on the table. I also recommend that you eat only until you do not feel hungry anymore – stop – wait 10 minutes and see if you feel like another serve. This allows enough time for food to travel to the stomach and tell us we are full. Better still if overindulgence is what you wish to totally avoid – set yourself the goal to only ever enjoy one plate and resist going back for seconds.
8. Take a Plate – many of us know what we like to eat or have particular dietary plans we follow. Why not make a plate to take so you can choose to eat something you and your body likes. This gives you a guarantee that there will be one dish on the table your can indulge in without guilt.
9. Drinks Anyone? – Tis the season to be jolly, but make sure you drink plenty of H20 also. Water is essential for optimum physical and mental functioning. I tend to enjoy a couple of glasses of my favourite bubbles then switch to sparkling mineral water with a slice of lemon. Alternate your drinks with a hydrating glass of water to help minimise any effects of your holiday beverage indulgences.
10. Keep Calm to Carry On – take a few moments each day to meditate, breathe or practise some Yoga poses, either before heading out to the hustle and bustle or upon return. This will allow you to centre your thoughts and calm your mind & body.
11. Finally, the joy of the holiday season is the memories we create, the love we share together and the traditions created. The simple things in life are the most rewarding, and by being less stressed and more focused will allow you to enjoy this time of year to its fullest. If you live far from family make an effort this year to invite the neighbours over or if you know someone that is without family, share the joy and invite them into your home to be part of your family’s special day.
Rae Kirkpatrick is a certified Nutritionist specialising in the practice of Nutritional Medicine. With a passion for health & happiness, Rae’s comprehensive knowledge of using food as medicine is underpinned by a sound understanding and educated foundation in human nutrition. Her professional goal and personal happiness comes from empowering people to make their own healthier food and lifestyle choices for a happy, energy filled life.
The views and opinions expressed in this post are soley those of the original author. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of My Gungahlin.
Do you want to feature on My Gungahlin? We’re looking for new stories from you! Send us a story (300-500 words) with photos about everything from:
- Gungahlin news
- Gungahlin history
- Gungahlin reviews
- Gungahlin sports results
- Your Gungahlin story
And whatever else you think would be relevant. Send your stories to [email protected]and we will let you know when we can publish your story!
My Gungahlin reserves the right to determine suitability. Please contact us to discuss promoting for business.
Loading ...
