Pumpkin spice, chilly nights, and tailgate bites-yes autumn has arrived in all its glory. The calendar turns to October and suddenly the holidays loom. Autumn winds shift and additional commitments and pounds accumulate like layers on a caramel apple. Soon, a new year dawns and we regret our wellness choices from months earlier.
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. ~1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Last year, we created a holiday wellness plan together and this year we’ll build on that with additional holiday habits we can utilize year after year. We’ll reference ideas from last year and focus on how we can adjust or create habits centered on wellness instead of indulgence. Join me and let’s begin exploring our #HolidayWellnessHabits.
I love words and a good acronym, so for the next seven weeks we’ll use the word HOLIDAY and explore wellness habits beginning with the letter for that week. Holiday begins with H so let’s begin with How.
How did we lose sight of wellness? It’s a daily effort to focus on wellness instead of indulgence. Yet, everywhere temptations abound to dissuade our healthy efforts in soul, mind and body. Let’s explore how we got here and how to create better habits moving forward.
My How began with picking convenient over conscious. Whether it was food choices while traveling, mindless grocery store grabs, or sitting more than moving, convenient won over healthy, conscious choices. I caved to easy more often than not. So if that’s how I got here, how can I change?
Change comes with additional H words-Habits which bring Hope. We all know the drive-through is not the best dinner choice nor is procrastinating on our wellness. Regardless why it happens, creating new habits fight temptations which beg us to concede to convenience.
Adapting current or creating new Habits strengthens us in weaker wellness moments and builds Hope for healthy choices. Here are a few habits I’m trying to implement this holiday season and beyond:
- Plan Meals. Planning ahead with quality, healthy foods available means we’re less apt to throw our hands up and head to the drive through.
- Budget time. Making or seeking out healthy food often takes less time than hitting the drive through, but we still need to plan those moments. Let’s take time for conscious choices regarding what we eat and including exercise in our lives which leads to…
- Move more. Research is proving what we all know: too much sitting leads to disease and extra pounds. Moving more not only helps shed unwanted pounds but also equips our minds and bodies to function better. Win, Win!
- Eat Wisely. Sometimes this equates to more of one thing and less of another. Sometimes this refers to when and what we eat. But whenever, whatever and how much needs to be decided wisely and consciously, not conveniently.
- Think Clearly. Mindlessly eating, sitting or making decisions based on other’s wants or our convenience is not the best course of action for anything, especially our wellness. Thoughtful choices regarding food, exercise and wellness may take an extra few moments, but could add quality and years to our lives.
- Pray Earnestly. We cannot do this alone. Let’s take all of this to the One who is in control and can assist us in our efforts. Let’s always honor God with our soul, mind and body by praying and doing it all through the strength only He provides.
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. ~ Philippians 4:13
It will be exciting to create and/or adapt #HolidayWellnessHabits together over the next seven weeks. We’ll explore a myriad of habits to assist us this season and into the future. Join me in sharing on your favorite social media outlet using the hashtag #HolidayWellnessHabits.
The Holiday season will come whether we prepare or not. Let’s take a few moments now to choose conscious over conveniece by assessing our How and focusing on our Habits toward Hope. Let’s follow His footprints together and live the life He’s created for each of us!
To see all the posts from last year’s Holiday Wellness Plan, click here.
Linking with Crystal at #HeartEncouragement and Brenda at #ChasingCommunity
This is so wise Jill! I’m guilty of choosing convenient in far too many areas of life. Will be pondering ways to implement this lesson in my own life. Thank you!
Thanks Bethany-praying you and others will benefit and move into habits to assist us when holiday and other temptations to steal our wellness come!
I need to make sure I remember to search (and use!) #HolidayWellnessHabits. Perfect time to focus on this — before we make a bunch of regrettable choices. I’ve been so guilty of choosing the convenient over the best, lately. Thanks for always being a voice of wellness in our ear, friend. So appreciate you. (And, I love the tri-level graphic. 🙂 ) xoxo
Thanks Brenda-here’s to more conscious, best choices rather than convenience!
Love these reminder to choose now, Jill! I’m facing a milestone birthday at the end of the year and have been consciously deciding how I want to feel on that day. For me 3 habits that help me choose well are 1) Logging what I eat – MyFitnessPal 2) Exercise goals – 30+min. of movement 5x a week 3) Nutrition – Consuming a fruit or vegetable at every meal.
But I couldn’t do any of it without God’s grace, both His enabling grace and grace for those times I come up short.
Amen Crystal-having some habits that we just do makes these choices much easier! You go and breeze right on through that birthday!