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TOP EIGHT HOLIDAY STRESS RELIEVERS

by Dave Hawk

The holiday season can be a joyous occasion, but the good times can come with a price. Too often stress and high-calorie indulgences get in the way of all those healthy habits we spent the year trying to stick to.

Don't let Thanksgiving and Christmas turn you into a flabby ball of hypertensive stress. Just follow our top tips for surviving the holidays, and you'll have a happier and healthier start to the new year.

* Exercise first thing in the morning. If you normally exercise during your lunch hour or after work, holiday demands are likely to steal away that time. Instead make exercise the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning.

* Eat breakfast. Multiple studies stress how eating breakfast is one of the easiest, sure-fire ways to lose weight. Not only does it keep you satisfied and give you energy, but eating breakfast also gets your metabolism humming for the day. This is important all  year, but especially critical during the holiday season.

* Swap physical activity for partying. A lot of times during the holidays you spend time with friends and family catching up in the company of food and beverages. Instead of chatting over a glass of high-calorie eggnog, why not catch up with a walk? Or plan a hike, build a snowman or do another fun activity.

* Drink water and eat soups before big meals. Before diving headfirst into that turkey dinner or Christmas buffet, drink an eight-ounce glass of water or have a bowl of soup as an appetizer. That will help fill your stomach before you get to the high-calorie stuff.

* Eat slowly (and don’t go for seconds). For big meals, eat your first portion slowly. Most people gobble down big holiday meals for social reasons more than hunger needs. If you eat slowly, chances are the other people are already stuffed by the time you’re finished.

* Do high-intensity interval workouts. The holidays sap our free time, so why not get more out of less in the gym? If you usually do 45 minutes on a treadmill at a steady pace, try 20-30 minutes of intervals, where you work out intensely for a minute or so, rest, then do another intense bout of exercise.

* Give yourself a break. Stress from worry, guilt and other negative emotions can increase the hormone cortisol, which has a negative effect on your body. Don’t be so hard on yourself if things aren’t perfect during the holidays, and don’t be a “family fixer” and try to solve everyone’s problems. You’re only human. Breathe deep and do your best.

* Volunteer or connect with others who may be alone. If your spouse is overseas or you’re feeling lonely, volunteer at a soup kitchen or other charity. It will give you an amazing lift to help others in need. Or you can locate people who may be in a similar situation as you by checking out local community resources online and meeting up. ‘Tis the season, after all.

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