Staying Healthy During the Holiday Season + COVID
Ok there's a lot going on behind a blog post like this. First of all, we are amidst a global pandemic...go easy on yourself. You're bound to be a little extra stressed not only because of that pandemic but also because holidays tend to be stressful anyway, no matter how much you love them! This is my disclaimer! Do what is right for you and don't stress about being your usual perfect (😉) healthy self right now. But I do think it's an important conversation to have. Just as a reminder.
You know the rule that if you have a question about something there are others who also have that question, so ask it? I tend to think the same applies in life. I know, personally, I'm having a hard time staying organized, motivated, healthy. But I know what's best for me is to try my best to stay on top of it. It's so easy to back off and quit, but that ultimately will get you nowhere! You (I) have goals! You have dreams! Don't back off just because we're going through a rough time. I wanted to write a quick post specific to doing our best to stay healthy right now because it's more important than ever for your body and mind to be functioning in a healthy capacity. Also, winter happens to be my favorite time of year to exercise? Yeah, I don't know what that's about either. Winter is also my favorite time of year to eat and drink unhealthy things 😅 If I need this reminder, I'm sure others do too!
Ok, let's get to it. If you've known me for more than five minutes, you know my first recommendation is Sydney Cummings. The girl kills it. I've used her workouts for so long that I get serious comfort and familiarity when I turn it on every morning. When I'm having a rough time (*cough cough* currently) I find my morning workout is my safe space. It is literally so weird, but I feel more safe and confident during that morning exercise than I do anywhere else or at any other time. It has become the perfect way to begin my day on a high note and I hope your morning routine has given that to you as well! If not, and you need something in the morning to make you feel confident, start with Sydney's workouts. You will certainly need to do it consistently to grow into love with them. My brother and I used to exercise every morning together and if you ask him he'd say I was not in love with my morning workout back then!
Another recommendation I have for you is running. I will always recommend running if you're able because there are so many benefits. But specifically in the winter I find my body can run harder and longer than in the winter. If you don't give yourself the chance to figure it out and only run when it's warm, you may be missing out on a wonderful opportunity to grow yourself as an athlete and runner! I remember wayyyy back in high school when I joined cross country, everyone was dreading this specific race because the terrain was intimidating and it was snowing! So I automatically thought it was going to be dreadful and embarrassing, but I believe it was my best race that year. If you have only tried running in warm weather and think you hate it- try it this winter! I know it sounds crazy but you never know what your body and lungs prefer until you've tried it! If you need running shoe recommendations I'm happy to give them. Also- I love using the Nike Run Club app. It tracks your mileage and gives you encouragement along the way. There are also challenges you can do, but I have not tested that out yet. If you have an app you use regarding running (or exercise in general) please let me know! I'd love to try out new ones.
There are so many simple ways to get in some exercise during the winter, but these are the two most simple that I use daily and wanted to share with you! I know there are a million YouTube videos for at-home exercises and you just have to try new ones here and there and see what you enjoy the most. I did a ballet YouTuber for a while and also a yoga instructor for a while, but when I tried Sydney Cummings it just clicked. Find what works for you! Other than exercising though, it's so important to be eating foods that will maximize those exercises. Please don't get me wrong- I love cookies and margaritas and all of the sweet things. I have the biggest sweet tooth in the world. But I also know if 90% of my diet is the good stuff, I don't need to give a second thought to having a cookie and/or a drink at the end of the day. Something that helped me get into the habit of eating healthy 90% of the time (okay, like 79% of the time) is having a routine. I know every morning I am drinking a fruit smoothie with Hilma powder and for lunch I'm having a salad packed with whatever is in the refrigerator. Super loose routine. But I know I'll be getting proper nutrients and I don't have to think too hard about what to make or how to make it. Every Saturday I create a "meal plan" ish for Matthew, myself, and Theodore. I just choose five dinner items and a few snacks and make sure they're healthy! There are always leftovers if I don't feel like having a salad for lunch and if I'm sure to choose healthy dinner items I will always have a healthy lunch, too. I hope all of that makes sense. I would be more than happy to talk through creating a meal plan, a grocery list, or give you my favorite recipes! Luckily, grocery stores have created very easy online shopping experiences so I don't need to enter the store if the only time I have to shop is a busy time or if I'm just too nervous to go in anyway (thanks to COVID...grocery stores don't make me nervous 😂). Hopefully stores near you have something similar!
I know this post is longer than I usually do- but I think this is super important! The last item I'll touch on is our mental health. No matter how much I love the holiday season, the time change and the rush and stress really always have gotten to my mind. I feel much more anxious, coupled with the fact that it can be harder to exercise (which is great for your mental health) I have spiraled ever so slightly in the past. Something I've been doing this year is utilizing the "gthx" (give thanks) app. Every day there are new prompts that help you realize the things around you that you can be grateful for. You can see what other people are posting about, share your own to the public or keep them private, and occasionally they'll invite a professional to share a glimpse of their training on the app via brief audio clips. Your mental health is equally as important as your diet and exercise. And of course, if you have mental health apps, books, anything else that you love using, please send them my way!
I hope these suggestions help you stay on top of your physical and mental health this holiday season. It's okay to put yourself first sometimes, so please carve out some time to work on these things! If you want to have a conversation with me about any of the above, I am all ears.
Thank you for reading!!
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