Holiday season is lurking around the corner and I know a lot of you would agree if I say this is the craziest and busiest time of the year.
Moms like us can definitely relate how staying healthy can be especially during the holiday season. But what if I told you that you can enjoy all the festivities and still maintain a healthy lifestyle?
In today’s episode, we will talk about the stressors and triggers that come with the holiday season and the importance of creating a plan. I can’t wait to share with you some cool tips and tricks that have worked wonders for me during holidays. These are my go-to routines that help keep me and my whole family feeling good and staying chill, even when things get crazy.
I will also discuss how to recognize and manage holiday stress, including time constraints, family dynamics, and stress eating. Let’s make holiday season the best of the best by keeping healthy and happy.
Are you ready to take control of your health and wellness this holiday season? Then, let’s dive in!
Kelsey
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Listen to the full episode:
What we cover in this episode:
[00:02:16] Planning for the Holidays
[00:04:33] High Expectations and Holiday Stress
[00:07:14] Guarding Against Holiday Stress
[00:11:50] Trick or Treating and Halloween Candy
[00:12:53] Thanksgiving Meal Planning
[00:15:23] Christmas Celebrations and Getting Back on Track
Read the full transcript here:
00:00
Health is deeper than just physical appearance. When you bring your entire cell, body, soul and spirit in alignment with God’s will. There’s nothing you can’t do. If you’re searching to create a manageable blueprint for long lasting health that is fun, inspirational and transformative, where you can combine the science of today with biblical truth to develop a plan that you can feel good about. Look no further. Welcome to the Fit Christian Woman podcast. I’m your host, Kelsey Bryant. I’m a wife, mom, daughter of the king and clinical exercise physiologist. I’m also the owner of Tampa Florida’s most convenient mobile personal training services, AtmosEffect Fitness. Not only do we bring the fitness to you, but we create an atmosphere where you can feel confident, focused and able to crush your goals on your terms. In this podcast will journey through fitness using my approach to health that combines I Corinthians 6:19 through 20 with modern science, because God made you one of a kind. So you would glorify Him by treating your body and your house like a temple. So if you’re ready to align your body, soul and spirit with God through a health and fitness routine that meets your lifestyle, then you’re in the right place. Welcome to your new favorite podcast week friend. Fill up your water jug put on your yoga pants, it’s time to get fit.
01:30
Hi ladies, welcome in! Today we are going to dive into the holidays. Yes, the season is already upon us. Last night I was decorating for fall with my daughter. And she loves it. I love fall even living in Florida. The season hasn’t really cooled much the weather hasn’t changed the way it does. When I lived in Ohio. And you just know that falls upon you. With that crispness and the coolness of the mornings and sweater weather that hasn’t hit here yet in Florida. It comes a little bit later more in in what I would call the winter months. But it was still time to decorate for fall. And I love it. It just brings that anticipation of the holiday season. And I want to talk to you about making a plan for the holidays because we are called to kind of have this expectation. And a lot of us are working on our health. That’s why you’re here at the Fit Christian woman podcast. And I want to thank you so much for tuning in. If you haven’t yet left me a review, will you please take time to do that. You don’t even have to write a message. But leaving even a five star review will help others find this information because just like you were searching for good biblical concepts around your health. Other women are searching for the same thing. And they’re sick of turning to New Age ideas and they want truth and biblical principles. And by leaving a review you help other women find this podcast too. So let’s dive into the ideas of planning for the holidays. I understand that holidays can be stressful. I’m right there to mama. Like I am planning for the family possibly planning trips, planning holiday meals, planning Christmas event, what things look like not only in my own home, but for the community for our church. Like there are so many things that come with the holidays, that they can be very stressful. And guess who gets put on the backburner? We do, right?
03:36
We put ourselves on the backburner wanting things to be great for our children and Christmas in anticipation or we put ourselves on the back burner because we have so many things to get done while serving others. But I want to help you structure already create a plan, create an idea for this upcoming season. That gives you lots of grace, lots of guidelines, so you can just feel like you are in complete control. There are so many stressors and triggers around this holiday. And I want to highlight some of them so you can start thinking through them thinking if you fall subject to them often, and how you can guard against them this year too. High expectations are one of the things one of the stressors this holiday season, high expectations that I could fall through to this one, I fall guilty to this one. Often I want things to be great. I want them to be like the Hallmark movie, I want to be putting forth my best effort. But these high expectations are just pressured to create this perfect holiday experience. And it can just lead to even more stress from, gift giving to hosting gatherings to striving for perfection.
04:53
It can really take a toll on our mental health and the holidays can also bring financial strain, right? the cost of everything is increasing here in America. I know I have listeners outside of America and it might be a different situation. But right here in America, inflation is real prices are increasing and our wages are not in financial strain is real, the cost of gifts or decoration travel. All of this can add and make it a challenging holiday season. And family dynamics play into holiday stress to spending time with extended family can bring us joy. But for others, it can be a trigger to stress due to unresolved conflicts or differing expectations. And then time constraints too. I ran into this last year where I just felt like I wanted to be part of my children’s Christmas play. So we decided to help build the set. And that became a much bigger undertaking, then we really thought it was going to be, so our time continued to be limited. And then we would get invited to catch up with friends and holiday parties here and there and with the office. And it just became its own monster where we felt like we didn’t really breathe during that season. It was a hustle and a bustle. So I want you to consider that time constraints can be a trigger and guard against that. Balancing holiday commitments with work and daily responsibilities can really be overwhelming and lead to physical and mental exhaustion. And that’s not the true reason for the season, right? We want to continue to keep our eyes on Jesus. And even as you know, the fall holidays hit which aren’t surrounded by Jesus, we always want to be keeping God first and listening to how He’s calling us to engage and where he’s calling us to serve and the things that he’s leading us to do, and listening when he’s calling us to rest. And then another holiday stressor can be stress eating, many people turn to comfort foods during times of stress and the holiday season are usually have an abundance of treats and those comfort foods that maybe you only get once a year you make or you get to see you know, Aunt Martha and you get to have her pumpkin roll. But these can contribute to unhealthy eating habits and weight gain. But I want you to know, of course through the holiday season that God is with us. He’s with us in the stress. And if we can start to realize and think ahead before the holidays come upon us and start to make a plan about our health. Recognize that some of these triggers are going to be stronger this year than others. I mean, reflecting back on just what your budget will be. That can be a different stressor this year than it was last year or your time constraints as your children are getting into more activities or you’re getting into more ministry work or activities. Are there more time constraints this year, and then guarding against turning to food as a comfort while enjoying it? Yes and enjoying those treats are those things you get once a year but not going overboard and not over indulging. Taking time right now to start planning and thinking about how you’ll guard against holiday stress is going to be so beneficial. God is with us Isaiah 41:10 Fear not for I am with you be not dismayed for I am your God, I will strengthen you I will help you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Fear not, we do not have to be fearful of the holidays, we do not have to set such high expectations and then feel like we’re going to fail if we don’t continue to chug along. We are called to enjoy this season too. And we are thermostats in our household, ladies. I just talked with women at our church about self care and how we are thermostat in our household when mom’s not happy everyone’s not happy but we have to guard against that we have to take care of ourselves and we have to make sure we’re controlling our stress level. Of course there will always be some kind of stressor but really deciding are we going to give into that and and suffocate in that stress this holiday season or are we going to know that it’s coming, process it and give it over to God. He is with us, Isaiah 41 Fear not I am with you be not dismayed Do not be troubled, do not worry for I am your God and I will strengthen you I will help you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
09:44
So if God is leading us, let Him lead, let your guests this holiday season be yes and let your no be no. It’s okay to have a No, it’s okay to say “you know I have to guard against this time constraint. I don’t want to be overextended this holiday season.” Lean in and listen to his guidance, I want to talk to you about how to start right now this October in making a plan for your holiday season, whether you celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas, or if there’s other holidays in there, or if you don’t participate in Halloween, I want to kind of just walk you through what a plan could look like this year for you. So think about taking two days for your holiday celebration, okay, it is called a holiday that a holiday months or a holla, two or three months, okay? It was a holiday. So taking the time to just enjoy that day being present. So what that might look like, and I want to give a little grace, and I’ll give you two days for celebration, right? There’s leftovers that need to be enjoyed and things like that. So taking two days, okay, if we think about just those three major holidays kind of coming up, if you do celebrate Halloween, and then Thanksgiving and Christmas, think about those. So that would be over the course of, let’s say two months, really. And then if you’re taking two days for each one, that is just six days, okay, so you can stay on track with your eating and your fitness and your all of your health habits, and have those six days to really indulge and enjoy. So look at it through that lens that it’s a holiday. And I’m going to celebrate and enjoy and be really present those two days. But I’m not going to overdo it and make it a month long celebration, or a two-month-long celebration.
11:50
So when it comes to trick or treating or Halloween or however you might celebrate it, maybe it’s a Fall Festival, if that’s kind of more the round that you go into. But the idea is that candy is involved, sweets are involved, right? That’s really what I want to highlight whether or not you celebrate it, or it’s a Fall Festival. The idea is that there’s still candy involved. And there’s an indulgence there. So take the time, enjoy it that day that you are celebrating, enjoy the trick or treating or the trunk or treat or the Fall Festival, going door to door Carter car, however it set up, take some time, pick out your favorite candies, the things that you remember enjoying as a child are the things that you love now, and have those right, enjoy that then, you know not eating until the point of where you’re sick, but enjoying some pieces of candy. And then saving a few for the next day to keeping some back to take to the office and your lunch, or to enjoy in the evening the next day. But just setting aside those two days. And then after that store that kids candy away, if you’re going to allow your children to keep eating it, we give our kids about a week where they can keep picking a snack and then it’s gone. Like it’s just out of the house, we get rid of it, we donate it, we you know kind of divvy it up, take it to the office. However we can get it out of the house, we do that. And I want to recommend that. So you take the time you enjoy that candy for those two days, and then it’s gone, it’s out of the house. And things are back on track. And having the candy it’s not like a whole meal, right. So you’re not getting off track by having some chocolate or having those Skittles, whatever it is you prefer. And then we’re going to transition to Thanksgiving because Thanksgiving is a big food holiday. And I understand that some people have a few places to go. And I want you to think if you know that you have to go to your parents house, your grandparents house to your aunt’s house, and you know that there’s multiple steps, you’re in law’s house, you know, if you know there’s multiple steps, I want you to think about it as one big meal, okay, because usually there’s going to be food at each one and deciding then how you’re going to eat at each place. So it’s going to be one big meal. So at every place you’re not going to have a full plate of food you’re going to have what it is you love what it is you desire there, what it is, you know, you’ve been waiting all year to have. And then maybe just a little bit of some of the other things or skipping them all together. Because knowing that your in laws make the best mashed potatoes so you don’t need them at your parents house and setting yourself some guidelines there and how you’re going to eat through the day. And then when it comes to leftovers, enjoying the leftovers the next day. Enjoy having that because it’s easy. It’s done for you. Maybe you’re running out Black Friday shopping and you just need something quick for dinner. Enjoy those indulgence one more time and Then after that, you’re back on track. Okay, you’ve had those two days.
15:05
So Christmas can look similar. For me, it used to be Christmas Eve would kind of be my celebration and Christmas Day. And those might be the two days that you plan to do as well. And have those celebrations enjoy that have all the things that are wrapped up, you know, I have a friend that they make Jesus a birthday cake made cake for breakfast on Christmas Day, like what a fun tradition. But you can’t eat cake for breakfast the next day and the next day and the next day, you’re going to be so thrown off, your blood sugar levels will be thrown off, but the way you’re feeling will also be thrown off. So doing those traditions, having those celebrations that you enjoy during that time that just kind of make that season that season. And then moving on getting ready to set yourself up. And just getting back on track. Ladies, it’s so easy to let a day or even two days help you throw in the towel. Many of my clients have said if I give in, I just feel so guilty that I just then throw in the towel. We don’t have to do that ladies, you can safeguard by making a plan and deciding and thinking through the holidays what it’s going to look like you then know you’ve safeguarded, you have that time that you’re going to jump right back in, come December 26th, you’re going to eat your scrambled eggs or your protein shake for breakfast, you’re going to get your workout in, and you’re going to continue on with the way that you normally eat because this isn’t a diet, it really is a healthy lifestyle change.
16:44
So be prepared to start planning, know that God is with you. Think about this. What would it look like? Really, if you did this, if you went to that plant, if the holidays were only six days, and that’s even being gracious, like if the holiday really is this holiday season is really only six days and every other day, you’re staying on track. You’re feeling good about your food selections, you’re letting the Holy Spirit lead? Would you gain the six to 10 pounds, it’s average? Or would you wake up by the time New Year’s resolutions come? Would you wake up stepping on the scale are just waking up feeling better, you can do that, you can have that. So take the time now, to really cast that vision of what you want the holiday seasons to look like for you.
17:36
It doesn’t mean the family has to miss out or anything like that. But take that time to plan for the holiday season. I want you to be set up and prepared for the new year too. So keep your eye out and creating these courses that are going to be really affordable, and really tuned in to what you desire to learning about exercise and to bringing God into your health into your diet into finding food freedom. So keep your eyes out for what’s coming down the pipeline. They’re going to be fantastic Christmas gifts for yourself. Because yes, ladies, we can buy ourselves a Christmas gift. And it’s just going to be anticipation for bringing in the near year in a way that health just rains and comes naturally and that God is the center.
18:29
So make sure you’re tuning in. Keep a lookout for that. If you haven’t joined my email list, please go to www.Kelsey-bryant.com. It’s in the show notes. And sign up for my email list. Get my free Starter Guide and start to look at how you can incorporate God into your health. He’s already in there. He’s just waiting for the invitation to lead. He’s waiting for the invitation to be released to just manifest and show more of him in every area of your life. I hope you have a blessed holiday season. And stay tuned in and wait for those things that are coming and I will continue to guide you this holiday season. Thank you so much for letting me be part of your health journey. Thanks so much for listening. I hope this episode has really blessed you and if it has, please tell a friend and leave a review. I appreciate it so much. Plus it helps to grow the reach of this podcast so more Christian women can find true how to
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