Healthy for the Holidays
Well it might be the most wonderful time of the year but it’s also the busiest! Tis the season for endless to do lists, a packed social calendar and the list goes on and on…
While I’ve been sharing lots of decor tips and holiday inspiration over the past few weeks I thought as we start to look ahead to the new year that it’s the perfect time to talk about health. These days health means a lot more than eating right and exercising. Mental and emotional well being are just as important as physical health and as I start to write out my goals and intentions for the year ahead, my health is going to continue to be a big priority moving forward.
So, inspired by the TELUS Healthy Living Network I thought I’d talk a bit about staying healthy over the holidays and into the new year..
Let’s start with mental and emotional health…
The Mindfulness movie on the TELUS Healthy Living Network got me thinking about how mindfulness is something I still need to work on. Being mindful is being present in the moment and not being overwhelmed or acting reactively to what’s going on around us. I don’t know about you but I am quite often overwhelmed so mindfulness is going to be a big goal of mind for next year. But how do you work on mindfulness? The best way is through meditation!
I used to get intimidated at the thought of meditating. It seemed to me to be impossible to be able to sit for X number of minutes without thinking about your life, the things you need to do, what you want to eat for your next meal… etc, etc. I soon realized however that when it comes to meditation there’s nothing wrong with starting small. Even a few minutes a day can make a huge difference in how you feel and how you’ll start to notice the world around you. Plus, meditation doesn’t have to be difficult - start by downloading one of the many free apps or use a you tube video for free guided meditations to start.
Especially over the past few weeks amongst the stress of the time of year I’ve noticed that when I’m able to incorporate meditation into my routine, I feel calmer and more in control of what’s happening around me so for 2019 - meditation and mindfulness is going to be a big goal of mine!
Of course we can’t talk about health without discussing physical fitness. You guys already know that my physical health has been a big focus of mine this year. I made my health a priority this year and saw great results but now I’ve got to keep it up!
On the TELUS Healthy Living Network there are great Jillian Michaels workouts to keep things interesting and switch up my routine because I definitely prefer to workout from the comfort of my own home rather than head out into the cold to join a group fitness class. I also invested in some tech gear this year to make my workouts a bit more enjoyable and to get better insights into my activity.
I’m definitely the kind of person who can’t work out without a good playlist. Truth be told I’m not a big fan of exercising so I need music to motivate me. I got a pair of Beats Wireless Headphones earlier this year and I wear them all the time working out at home. I like these ones because the sound quality is great, the battery lasts a really long time and they’re super comfortable.
I also only recently got a Fitbit Versa but I’m already loving how much information it gives you! I get insights on my sleep, my fitness levels and activity and it’s a great tool to be aware of your activities and track your goals and progress.
Lastly, we can’t talk about health without discussing diet. By now we all know that whole, healthy, real foods are best but still - the struggle is real. For me, diet is always the hardest. I’m not a big fan of cooking, I tend to get a bit lazy in the kitchen and sometimes, the sugar cravings get me! On the TELUS Healthy Living Network you can find programs like ‘Making Healthy Food Taste Great’ and I plan on watching a few to inspire me to keep cooking and find some new healthy recipes. I definitely started the year out strong with cooking and meal prepping but especially at this time of year I’ve found I’ve dropped the ball a bit! (‘Tis the season! lol) So, as we wrap up the year I’m trying to cut myself some slack and enjoy myself but also make sure I’m getting in real fruits and veggies as snacks between my meals out. Heading into the new year, I’ll have new goals for cooking more of my meals and continuing on my health journey!
What goals do you have for your health for the new year? Let me know in the comments below!
This post was made in partnership with TELUS. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog, without them I wouldn’t be able to do what I love!