Sarah’s Holiday Tips Pt. 2
Happy Tuesday! I hope that you enjoyed your holidays. Max and I had steak frites and red wine for our Thanksgiving dinner since it was the two of us. Today is part 2 of my holiday tips and this one is all about traveling! We’ve started making our holiday travel plans so I’m assuming you are as well.
HYDRATION. It may be colder but our body still needs fluids to properly function. Being optimally hydrated can improve your body’s ability to deliver nutrients to your cells and can improve sleep. Active people, especially my CrossFitters thinking about the Open coming up, did you know that your joints need enough fluid to keep them lubricated? That’s crucial with the increase in volume you may be experiencing as you gear up for the season.
PROTEIN. Anyone else struggle to hit their protein on the road? Me too. It’s hard not to cram in multiple protein bars and call it good. I limit myself to two per day at most so that I can prioritize the micronutrients in the protein I consume. I usually opt for a bowl or sandwich when I can and I ask for extra protein when possible.
MINI RESETS. I think that we can often consider self-care or a reset as a major overhaul. It doesn’t have to be, even just a minute or two a day can make a huge difference over time. I love to take a mini-break to do the 4-7-8 breathing technique or box breathing. I may do five rounds at a time and it helps a LOT! The 4-7-8 technique is a 4-count inhale, 7-count hold, and 8-count exhale. Repeat as needed. Box breathing is similar but it’s even across the board, so let’s use 4 as an example. You’ll inhale for a 4-count, hold for a count of 4, exhale for a count of 4, and stay empty for a count of 4.
NO STARVATION. I said it in my last post and I’ll say it again, starvation is so uncool. People who starve themselves before big parties or gatherings tend to overindulge because they’re so hungry that they don’t have control over themselves. It also sets you up for a bad cycle of heavy restricting, binging on that forbidden food or foods, intense feelings of guilt and shame, and repeating. This is very common around the holidays but if you’re eating a balanced diet AND you’re being mindful about how you’re approaching indulgences in the seasons, you’ll be able to enjoy your holidays even more.
I’ve been in that cycle before (eating disorder survivor here, hey!) and it’s awful. It disrupted my personal peace as well as my relationships with my loved ones. You are worthy of breaking that cycle <3