The holiday season is synonymous with large gatherings and large meals full of savory, rich, and high-calorie items. Overindulgence is all around us, from the shopping to what we put in our mouths. Indeed, Christmas Day is, for many of us, one of the most gluttonous day of the year. Dinners tend to be vast – on average, over 3,000 calories are consumed on this meal alone –and there’s an endless amount of tasty treats around.
For many, this leads to weight gain and the New Year’s Resolutions promising to shed those pounds. But studies have shown that most people typically don’t get rid of the extra waistline before the next holiday season rolls around. Moderation may be challenging, but it’s not impossible, and will make the holidays much more pleasant in the long run.
START THE DAY RIGHT
Reducing food intake may be hard in this season, but there are some ways to help you do it.
One way to avoid all that rich cuisine is starting the day right with a healthy, fulfilling breakfast. For an option, try Nature’s Path-Hot Oatmeal (Apple Cinnamon) made with whole grain steel cut organic rolled oats, including bran, chunks of dried apple and a hint of cinnamon. Low in fat and sodium, one bowl of whole grain oats gives you plenty of energy to sustain you for several hours, avoiding all kinds of mouth-watering temptations along the way.
Another option is Ceres Organics – Quinoa, Cacao and Millet, a nourishing combination full of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, plus flavonoid antioxidants. Both are easy to prepare and will help you avoid lethargy for the rest of the day and keep you from snaking too early, which only adds to calorie intake.
HEALTHY SNACKS
However, if you give in to temptation and need a snack, or a pick-me up in the middle of a stressful day, opt for something healthy, such as KIND – Vanilla Almond Clusters, a snackable granola made with five super grains including oats, milley, buckwheat, amaranth and quinoa.You can also try CeresOrganics – Organic Seaweed (Teriyaki), a nutrient-rich tidal wave of taste and iodine that is also vegan and has no MSG or preservatives. Keeping yourself full during the day will help you avoid the hunger pains and the traps of overeating at dinner time, and the consequences that come with it.
MENTAL HEALTH
But keeping yourself healthy during the holidays also includes mental health. These are stressful times without the added pressures of having to buy gifts for everyone on your “Nice” list or having to stay away from those in the “Naughty” one.
Shopping alone and the worrisome overspending that comes with it, too much cooking, cleaning, endless ‘to do’ lists and visitors can leave you overwhelmed and deflated. HyggeWellbeing was inspired by Bhutanese spiritual beliefs to value simple living and happiness combined with the Danish “Hygge” way of finding comfort and peace. Being mindful, taking time to unwind, taking a leisure walk or a few moments to take some deep breaths can help you retain your sanity and health. Send Christmas cards to friends and loved ones, and tell them how important they are in your life. Bring some flowers to brighten the holidays and provide your home with flagrant aromas. Enjoy the flickering lights around town or your neighborhood.
All of this can help you stay above the trappings of the holidays and help you keep a healthy immune system that can ward off the colds and viruses that are typical of the season. Keeping a healthy immune system is based on a combination of eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and maintaining your mental health. So don’t forget to take plenty of rest as well.
Another way to boost your mental health is doing something good for someone else. Kindness doesn’t only do wonders for humanity, it also benefits you. Studies have shown that altruism boosts self-esteem, which leads to a general sense of satisfaction and purpose.
Doing something good for others is easy when you shop at HyggeWellbeing. A portion of the proceeds from your purchases goes to help fund nonprofit organization Angels for Children. Founded by Helen Whitman in 2006 and established in Hong Kong as an official charity in 2009, the nonprofit provides funding to improve children’s lives in South East Asia, working with partner agencies like Bali Kids, Sunrise Cambodia, Po Leung Kuk and Society for Community Organization.
Most of all, enjoy the holidays and festivities that make this season so much brighter. Concentrate on the things that really matter in the end, like being around loved ones, having great conversations with friends, reminiscing about all the good times you share with them, play games. Those are all much more important and meaningful than anything you can buy at a store. Remember that "this is the season to be jolly" and join our event on Dec 18, 2020 with friends & family!
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