Thanksgiving has come and gone and now we are finding ourselves in full swing with the holiday season. Tis the season to be stressed, oops I mean tis the season to be merry! Sadly though for the majority of us this time of year equates to added stress. It is not as if this is something new or that we were not expecting it since it comes around every year. However, for many of us who have been working the remainder of the year on building a healthier lifestyle for ourselves, this period of time presents an unintentional vacation or even worst death to our newly built habits. Fret not, for the holiday season does not need to equate to such a vacation, even if there is added stress to deal with. Perhaps you are saying to yourself it is not possible for overcoming such feats. Sure, I am not going to deny there is going to be the presence of extra stress, that is an annual guarantee but there are some strategies that can easily help reduce the one road block in making the holidays enjoyable and ultimately setting those healthy habits aside through this period of the year. Rememer stress is a hidden culprit that not only often causes us to resort to our old and often unhealthy comforts, stress also helps stimulate the groth of belly fat. Recognizing and reducing the presence of these unnecessary extra stresses will help you come out on top a hero all around. 
Togetherness: Originally this time of year was created to celebrate spending precious moments with family and loved ones. However, as years have progressed and marketing has been allowed to take the reigns, many of us have forgotten what the true purpose is here. It doesn't have to be about the lavish holiday parties, the outrageous decorations and unaffordable gifts. I challenge you to simply take a step back this year and focus on the importance of nurturing the relationships around your loved ones. Sure, being able to gift to those you care about and decorate can be enjoyable but by no means does it need to be a stressful occasion. Keeping it simple and heartfelt this year, trust me will assist in reducing a great deal of unnecessary stress. This is especially true if you have been working hard up to this point in reducing stresses within your environment, so why stop now?
Keep active: Time and time again do we read about how studies have concluded the importance of reducing the onslaught of stress. So, if physical activity is something we have been incorporating into our days all year long, why then stop now when it is something we can rely on more than ever? Keeping up that daily walk or going each week to your yoga session is still vital; however, I challenge you to take this time and slowly begin to incorporate higher intensity activities into your routines. Not only will this help burn more calories in a shorter period of time, especially when extra time seems to be so valuable during the holiday season. Also, by incorporating higher intensity into your workouts will require to focus on your breath and form, thus helping you forget the outside world for a period of time. Enough to hopefully help you clear your mind, regroup and allow your rational skills to take over and better solve the issue at hand. Even be creative and utilize every moment you can to do some type of physical activity. Don't get me wrong it is important to consistently get in some type of formalized physical activity each day, but that doesn't mean you can use every possibly moment to do some type of de-stressing exercise. Say while sitting at your desk at work, take short breaks and do some type of stretch to help rejuvenate those creative juices. While out performing errands, use that time to get in cardio and perhaps even strength training by carrying baskets and or bags. The possibilities for getting in some type of physical activity are endless, embrace these possibilities as often as you can. Believe me you will see a difference not only around your stress levels but also with helping maintain your weight management!
Make a list and check it twice: Instead of going about your day in every which direction because you remember things that need to be done, make a list each day. By writing down things that you need to accomplish and creating a realistic time line is a fantastic way to help reduce stress of getting everything done and even helps one be better productive throughout his or her day. You may even be surprised by finding yourself having more time in the day to spend for yourself that you otherwise may not have had.
Ultimately even with the holidays in full swing, this does not mean that this time of year needs to be an unenjoyable one nor one filled with unnecessary stress. Lets make this year the year you find yourself returning to the basic meaning of the holidays, togetherness. By using just one if not all of these suggestions, you will certainly assist in reducing the unnecessary stresses that have been associated with this joyous time of year and ultimately will help you in maintaining those healthy habits you have worked so hard all year long in building for yourself. Tis the season to be merry and healthy!
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