A flexible stick is more difficult to break than a rigid one
“Avoid brown,” was the simple advice given to me by a nutritionist years ago.“Avoid brown foods during December and all will go well.” And then I went to the office party…
Christmas can be a stressful time for many people, for a multitude of reasons. One of those reasons is that our internal voices ramp it up to a level that is unparalleled. Almost impossible to ignore, following their influence often leads us to failure.
Voice 1 (sounds like Dr. Nick) – “Focus on the Big Picture, your Bigger Whys, feel the pain & suffering, allow it to consume you, creating a crystalline expression of your soul. You must stick to your good eating habits & workouts or humanity will suffer for eons!”
Voice 2 (you own) – “I know what I should do, I can be good, I can do this, I can do this…Maybe I just need to watch more inspirational youtube videos…I can be perfect…Is that a video on making the perfect Gingerbread house? My kids will love it! I’ll get some eggnog and slip some Baileys into my coffee…No, no, no – empty calories, gluten, sugar, bloating…I can do this, I can do this…”
Voice 3 (your Aunt) – “I made your favourites! Fettuccine Alfredo, roasted lamb, crusty bread with three types of butter, 25 cheeses & deli meats, a dozen different cookies, three cheesecakes…and an espresso layered with whole cream whipped with flakes of imported Swiss chocolate. It’s the last piece that your late Uncle and I bought this summer when we went to Italy. You can still taste the Mediterranean sea salt but don’t worry, I know that you are healthy so I didn’t add any sugar.”
In January, we will be offering many programs to help you meet all those health & wellness goals that you dream about. In the meantime, we have to deal with December. Embracing the “Why Fight It?” attitude, can we bend a little and use the energy to leap into a new you in 2016? Can we use our higher minds and go into this month with a plan to bend a little while maintaining overall integrity? Will we allow ourselves to be really good for the rest of November, to feel light, energetic and strong, only to feel the pain of losing some health & fitness in December? By doing this we create a strong emotional attachment to feeling great, to having clarity of thought and to optimal wellness.
Dr. Marie and I have used many strategies to make health & wellness so compelling on so many levels that returning to this as our default has become easier and a no-brainer. On Thursday December 3 @ 7:00 PM we will be having our last workshop of the year (cost is $20) called How To Survive The Holidays in which we will share these strategies. Here is what we will be discussing:
- healthy ideas for a potluck party
- tricks to enjoy and not overindulge
- decreasing the damage – the best of poor options
- minimizing weight gain
- gaining perspective – being able to combine the emotional immediacy with rational future
- anticipating triggers and situations
- quick hacks to get back on track in a hurry
- creating a plan for December 26th to December 31st
- creating a plan for January 1st to 4th
- utilizing cleanses & fasting
- switching exercise to match the increase in food and socialization
- the gift to yourself
- creating a personalized New Year date for you
- races & events
Our January health & wellness programs are just around the corner and if you play your cards right, your actions in December will catapult you into a healthier, more vibrant New Year!
Dr. Nick |
