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Healthy Holidays
This time of year doesn't have to bring stress to your family's fun, waist, or wallet.
by Renae Bottom | posted 9/12/2008 11:36AM
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It's the night before Christmas …
And your little black dress won't zip, buttoning last year's trousers has you talking like an elf, and you're too exhausted to care that the credit card just triggered the smoke alarm. Again.
If you woke last January 2 wondering who put "happy" and "holidays" together in the same refrain, you're not alone. For many couples, the frantic pace of the holiday season threatens to turn tidings of comfort and joy into trials of fatigue and frustration.
Sleepless nights, impossible schedules, financial worries, and sugar-cookie love handles don't have to sabotage your Christmas season. With teamwork, a healthy dose of realism, and some dedicated planning, you and your spouse can share a happy, healthy Yuletide.
Plan ahead
The stockings were hung …
Couples who don't dread the holidays seem to have this theme in common: Leave nothing to the last minute.
Commit to a 30-minute planning session in the next few days that will put you and your spouse on the way to accomplishing together what you decide is important this holiday season. Match calendars on a regular basis and coordinate your efforts. When the pressure's on, your partnership is the greatest resource you share.
Put your health first
A long winter's nap …
Don't sacrifice sleep to satisfy the demands of your holiday calendar. Giving up too many nights of restful slumber invites short tempers, frustration, and a round of holiday colds and flu. Work together with your spouse to get the rest you both need.
Never underestimate the value of a good nap. If dinner's under control, one of you can watch the skillet (and maybe the kids) while the other catches a 30-minute power nap in the recliner.
If you have small children and you're visiting relatives, take turns resting when the kids do. Chances are they'll fall asleep sooner sharing a quiet bedroom with you than if they're left alone, and you'll all reap the benefits of renewed energy.
If it's past midnight and you've already sewn the donkey's ears to Joseph's robes twice, go to bed. Working late for two hours on a project you could accomplish in 45 minutes if you were fresh is a waste of precious sleep time.
Not a creature was stirring …
The mice may be sedentary, but you shouldn't be. Health experts agree: Regular exercise lifts your mood, bolsters your willpower to eat moderately, reduces stress, and burns extra calories. Make a conscious commitment with your spouse to stick to your exercise routine during the holidays.
If you have to miss an occasional spin class or appointment at the gym, be creative. Instead of sitting in a stupor while waiting to pick up the kids from Christmas choir practice, go for a brisk 15-minute walk in the church foyer or up and down the auditorium hallway.
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