Create your holiday wellness plan!

The holidays are just around the corner! But before things become hectic, make a commitment to your health by creating a holiday wellness plan. Planning can help you stick with your goals and start the new year off on the right foot to avoid playing catch-up on your resolution. Follow these steps to create your plan!

1. Choose your goal. Whether you’ve already been working on a goal or are just starting, it is important to set a concrete, realistic goal. Here are some examples:
   • Maintaining your weight. We say maintaining because weight loss during the holidays can be challenging!
   • Staying active. The winter months can make exercise a challenge not only because of exercise, but due to less time and daylight.
   • Eating healthy. Holiday parties can be a challenge for even the healthiest eater!
   • Stressing less. For some people, stress and the holidays are synonymous.
   • Avoid overspending. Sticking to your budget can be difficult during the holidays.
2. Once you’ve established your overall goal for the holidays, break this goal into shorter goals. For example:
   • If your goal is to maintain your weight, you’ll want to do so with a combination of healthy eating and staying active.
   • For those wanting to stay active, you’ll want to pick a few winter-friendly activities as well as ideas for reducing sedentary behavior.
   • Eating healthy during the holiday season will require you to maintain good eating habits at holiday gatherings and the in-between times.
   • If your goal is to stress less, you’ll want to create a plan to manage your time and find relaxing activities to help you decompress.
   • Avoid breaking your budget by allotting a specific amount of money you can spend on gifts, food for holiday parties, and other expenses related to the season as well as keeping your credit card balance in check.
3. Establish SMART goals each week. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Identify 1 to 2 things you can do that will help you achieve your short-term goal, which will subsequently contribute to your overall holiday goal.

Try these SMART goals or modify them to better suit your needs!

• Goal: Maintain your weight
  • Pack a healthy lunch three days per week.
  • Commit to starting every holiday party with a salad to help you avoid overindulging on less healthy party fare.
• Goal: Stay active
  • Walk up 10 minutes early 5 days per week and do one of our workouts of the week.
  • Stand up and walk around during commercial breaks.
• Goal: Eat healthy
  • Add an additional serving of fruit or vegetables four days per week between lunch and dinner.
  • Start your day with a healthy breakfast 5 days per week.
• Goal: Reduce Stress
  • Plan to spend 15 minutes before bed, 3 nights per week, doing a relaxing activity like reading.
  • Write out a schedule each week so you know what tasks need to be completed.
• Goal: Avoid overspending
  • Examine your budget once a week and determine how much you can realistically spend on gifts.
  • Find areas where you can save money. For example, brew your own coffee 4 days per week rather than buying it at a coffee sjhop.

For Health Advocate Members

If you’re a Health Advocate member with access to our Wellness Program, log on to your wellness website to register for our Maintain, Don’t Gain campaign, which is happening now. You’ll receive weekly emails with tips to help you stay healthy during the holiday season.

If you have access to the wellness coaching component of our wellness program, connect with a coach for individualized support in creating an effective wellness plan.