By Sandra Phillips
Speaker, author, CEO, SandraPhillipsPresents.com
WARNING! ‘Tis the season… for food, folks and more food.
A major Hollywood personality once declared on national TV that her holiday “eating season” once began just before Halloween and lasted until Valentine’s Day. Her body, and no doubt her health, reflected this marathon of overeating.
This holiday mentality is not only debilitating to us, but it carries over to our children, and they carry on the tradition, the obesity, the diabetes and the heart disease. At some point, we must be better parents and better adult role models by creating new and different traditions
At Life, Love, and Chocolate, we help women learn how to create balance between fitness, body image and self-worth. We believe that power, health and attitude lead to transformation. In other words, the essential woman believes that outward beauty is a reflection of inner health.
For many people, the holiday season usually centers on family traditions – from large festive gatherings – mostly designed to pack on the pounds with food, folks and more food -- to quiet moments with your significant other.
The hustle and bustle of the season keeps us busy with shopping, entertaining and eating too much. But it is possible to have a great holiday without going overboard. Generally, by focusing not on the food, but on trying some different ideas for building new traditions and possibly, new relationships, you can still have a happy, tasty holiday.
Celebrate in new ways. Find friends and acquaintances who are alone for the holidays. Plan a holiday get-together with them, organize a group to go to a holiday concert, or work together on a community project. You will find that taking the opportunity to strengthen relationships with people you already know will deepen the bonds of friendship.
Volunteer. Visit shut-ins, be a Big Brother or Big Sister, or serve a holiday dinner at a homeless shelter. Helping others who are in need can help you share your own gratitude.
Adopt a Family. Check with your church or non-profit organizations in the area. There are many families that need the love, companionship and help you can give during this holiday season. And remember, money doesn’t always solve the problem. Sometimes just knowing that someone cares is what these families need.
Focus on your health. Turn off the television and get out of the house. Join a local gym or sports league. Figure out how you can take recess every day (you remember recess, don’t you?) and have fun with skipping rope, hop scotch, kick boxing or working out with free weights. And remember to stay properly cleansed and hydrated by drinking plenty of WATER.
Finally, don’t turn Thanksgiving or any meal into The Last Supper – or it just might be. Pace yourself and have a fit and fabulous holiday season.
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Sandra Phillips, MA, CSC, has helped thousands of busy women increase passion, productivity, and profitability through self-care. An author and motivational speaker, Sandra also conducts Life, Love and Chocolate B.A.L.A.N.C.E. workshops for women.
Her book, Getting Things Done: Successful Women Speak inspires women to take on all of life’s challenges with gusto, and is available directly from her at www.sandraphillipspresents.com.
