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Finding a Balance During the Holidays

Holiday Burnout


By: Chelsey Walter - Certified Personal Trainer Granite Health & Fitness

What comes to mind when you think of the word “health”? Most would say something like staying active or having positive doctor check-ups; maybe even eating nutrient dense foods instead of sugar. All of those are perfectly good answers, but the meaning of health goes far deeper than that.

I have been a personal trainer at Granite Health & Fitness for just over a year now and an athlete my entire life. Being so new to the fitness industry, I have learned far more than I ever could have expected in this short year. Obviously, my position deals heavily with the physical aspect of health. However, I did not realize how much the mental and emotional sides of our health affect us until this year.

As individuals, we need balance; in our social lives, with our jobs, our diets, and our hobbies. The holidays have a tendency to bring on added stress and imbalance during a season that is meant to be joyful as it is a time to remind us of all the good we have. If we put too much time or focus into one area of our lives, another area will suffer.

Here is an example to help you paint a nice little mental picture… It is December 15th. You have t-minus 10 days to finish up any Christmas shopping. Don't forget to send out those holiday cards and make the baked goods for friends/office parties, not to mention make time to GO to the actual parties. And, you need to do all of this while trying to maintain your normal day to day routine. Did you get stressed out just imagining it?

Here are some things you can do to keep the holidays from running your life and stay focused on you and your health.

Physically

Get your daily workout or walk in, no matter what. Remember it's the season for giving, so always invite a friend. Offer to purchase a day pass for someone if they don't have a gym membership or try out a new Group Fitness class and you might just make a new friend in the process. Lastly, stick to eating a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. Those sugary sweets do not contribute toward your daily fruit and veggie intake over the holiday season no matter how badly you want them to.

Mentally

Just because we give so much to others during the holidays, does not mean we stop giving to ourselves. Budget in a small chunk of time for yourself everyday, whether it's 20 minutes or an entire hour... make it happen. You will be pleasantly surprised to see how much easier it is to take on daily stresses and duties when you know you have time set aside for something that makes you happy.

Emotionally

Most importantly in my opinion, spend quality time with people in your life that make you smile. It does not matter how introverted/extroverted, shy, annoyed or busy of a person you are. At the end of the day, people NEED people. Human interaction has a way of flipping that internal switch and bringing that sense of normality back to us. It's important to keep connections and even reconnect relationships that mean something to us. Call that person, don't text them. Or maybe set up a coffee or lunch date to make it more personal. Try making a meal with someone, technology free and see what can come out of a conversation that is distraction free.

This holiday season, I challenge all of us to make balance a priority in all aspects of our lives. It would be a shame to miss out on all the extra love and happiness that goes around this time of year, because we are too wrapped up in a “picture perfect” holiday. Give the gift of friendship, love, and humanity this season, and I can assure you, you will not regret it. Happy Holidays!