Make the Most of Your Christmas Holiday
December 20, 2011
Christmas is a special time of anticipation and celebration. But often, all the hustle and bustle of the season stresses us out! Today’s newsletter features tips to reduce the stress of the season so you can take time to really enjoy your holidays.
Stress Free Holiday Eating
Make the most of your holiday meals and avoid the guilt of eating too much with these ideas:
- Slow down. Enjoy your food. We mean really enjoy it. Notice the colors. Smell the aromas. Savor each bite. Listen to the crunch. Pay attention to how it feels on your tongue. Chew slowly. Eat until you feel satisfied, stopping well before you are stuffed.
- Relish your conversation. Take time in between bites to enjoy the company of your loved ones.
- Don’t skip meals. Before leaving for a party, eat a light whole food snack like raw vegetables or a piece of fruit to curb your appetite. You will be less tempted to over-indulge.
- Check out the appetizer table before digging in. Opt for the shrimp cocktail, which is filled with Omega-3, or the veggie platter, which is filled with polyphenols (just go easy on the dip).
- Bring your own healthy dish to your next holiday party. That way, you know you’ll have at least one healthy option!
Last Minute Gift Buying
Stressed because you haven’t finished your Christmas shopping? Here are a few gift ideas that your family and friends will love, and that won’t break your wallet. There’s something for everyone – from the techy to the outdoorsman. Check out our healthy holiday shopping guide.
Another wonderful gift idea is the all-new Made to Crave Action Plan, co-authored by our very own Dr. Ski Chilton and NY Times Best Selling author, Lysa Terkeurst. When you order the DVD and Participant Guide from GeneSmart.com, we’ll include a free daily journal.
Stress Free Holiday Party Planning
- Take the focus off of food. Instead of cookie parties, have crafty parties to create gingerbread houses or other fun holiday things like wreaths. Plan other group activities, like volunteering at a nursing home or homeless shelter.
- Many people will offer to help you with your holiday party planning, and you may feel that, as the host, you should politely decline. Accept their offer – people will feel happy to be involved, and it will help take a little bit of stress off of you! Not hosting? Offer to help with the planning of your family or friend’s party.
Our Most Important Tip of All
This season, amidst the hustle and bustle, slow down and pay attention to those things that are truly important. Enjoy time spent with family, friends, and loved ones, and help spread holiday cheer to everyone around you.
From the entire Gene Smart Team, we wish you and your family the happiest of holidays and an amazing New Year!
Words of Wisdom
"We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
