By Shruti Menon Seeboo
The holiday season is a time for joy, celebration, and family gatherings. However, it can also be a time of stress, overindulgence, and disrupted routines. To ensure a healthy and happy holiday season, we’ve consulted with a team of experts from LetsBe: Teeshaa L Jankee, a renowned nutritionist; Sanjana Gobin Rambhojun, a skilled psychologist; and Meagan Lewis Gujadhur, a dedicated health coach. Together, they offer invaluable insights on how to navigate the festive season while prioritising your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Nourishing your body
Teeshaa Jankee, our resident nutritionist, shares her expert tips for maintaining a healthy diet during the festive season: “To set the stage for a healthy holiday, start with a few simple yet effective strategies. Firstly, don’t skip meals. Skipping meals to ‘save room’ for later can lead to overeating. Instead, maintain steady energy levels by eating regular meals. Secondly, prioritise protein. Incorporating protein-rich foods like grilled fish, lean chicken, or tofu into your meals can keep you feeling fuller for longer and prevent unhealthy snacking. Thirdly, stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water, unsweetened tea, or coconut water is crucial for maintaining energy levels and overall health. Lastly, watch your portions. It’s all about moderation. You can have a little bit of everything, just keep the portions in check. After all, you don’t need to recreate the entire buffet on your plate to enjoy the flavours. Small bites, big enjoyment.”
When it comes to food choices, Teeshaa suggests incorporating nutrient-rich foods into your diet. “Fresh fruits and vegetables like bananas, papayas, and mangoes are excellent sources of potassium, which can help regulate stress and improve mood. Fatty fish like mackerel or tuna, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, can boost brain function and reduce inflammation. Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, cashews, and pistachios, are packed with magnesium, a mineral that helps reduce stress and promote relaxation. And let’s not forget the indulgence of dark chocolate, which can improve mood and cognitive function due to its antioxidant properties.”
Teeshaa also offers practical advice on meal prepping and planning to help you maintain a healthy diet during the busy festive season. “By planning your meals around your schedule, you can ensure that you’re eating nutritious meals even on the busiest of days. Batch cooking healthy dishes like grilled fish or vegetable curries can save you time and effort. Additionally, keeping healthy snacks on hand, such as fruits, nuts, or yogurt, can help you avoid unhealthy cravings. Don’t forget to utilise your freezer by freezing extra portions of healthy meals. And lastly, get creative with leftovers by repurposing them into new dishes. For example, leftover roast chicken can be used in a salad, or vegetable curry can be added to rice or used as a filling for wraps. This not only reduces food waste but also ensures you’re not tempted by unhealthy options. By prepping ahead and staying organised, you’ll be able to enjoy the festive season’s busy moments without compromising your health goals. It’s all about making small changes that save time, reduce stress, and keep you feeling good.”
Nurturing your mind
Sanjana Gobin Rambhojun, a skilled psychologist from LetsBe, offers valuable insights on cultivating mental well-being during the festive season and beyond:
“Creating a vision board encourages introspection and helps individuals reflect on their choices, current position, and aspirations. It promotes self-awareness by encouraging questioning where you are and where you want to be. Additionally, it helps anchor you in your timeline, providing clarity about your personal journey and priorities. Seeing your goals visualized reinforces belief in your potential, boosting confidence and purpose. Ultimately, it empowers you with a sense of direction and control over your future.”
Sanjana also provides guidance on staying motivated after creating a vision board: “Reconnect with the emotion behind each item on your board; it’s the emotional connection that keeps you going. Practice self-compassion, accepting that not every day will be equally productive and being kind to yourself on slower days. Keep your goals realistic and achievable, revising them if needed to avoid feeling disheartened. And don’t hesitate to involve trusted people in your journey—they can provide encouragement and accountability.”
To align your vision board with both personal growth and mental health goals, Sanjana suggests focusing on balance and incorporating elements like self-care, mindfulness, and career aspirations. She emphasises the interconnectedness of personal growth and mental health, encouraging you to create goals that enhance both simultaneously.
When it comes to common psychological barriers that can hinder progress towards vision board goals, Sanjana highlights a few key areas:
- Planning Fallacy: We often underestimate the time and effort required for tasks. To overcome this, break down goals into smaller, manageable steps and build flexibility into your timelines.
- Procrastination: Fear or overwhelm can delay action. Start small and focus on one task at a time to build momentum.
- Feeling Overwhelmed: Too many goals can feel paralysing. Prioritise and simplify your board if necessary.
- Losing Confidence: Self-doubt or low self-esteem can creep in. Celebrate progress, however small, and remind yourself of your capabilities.
- Imposter Syndrome: Feeling undeserving of success can hinder progress. Affirm your worth and focus on effort over perfection.
Be aware of your emotions, practice self-kindness, and use your vision board as a guide, not as a source of pressure. Utilising tools like journals or apps can help you track progress and stay aligned with your goals.
Balancing health and holiday cheer
To help you strike a balance between holiday cheer and healthy habits, we’ve consulted with Meagan Lewis Gujadhur, a dedicated health coach from LetsBe. Meagan emphasises on the importance of setting realistic fitness goals and starting slowly. “The biggest factor I would stress is to make your fitness routine realistic. Be realistic with your goals, what your body can accomplish in a certain time period, and what your daily life allows. Start slow to reduce the likelihood of injuries. Increase in duration or exertion slowly, about 10% a week. Don’t blow your budget on fancy gym equipment that you end up using to hang clothes on! Try some equipment out to know if it’s something you can incorporate into your fitness routine. Know that your body will get used to exercise and actually start to crave it, provided you are listening to your body and its needs. Your body will also tell you when you are overexerting, and rest days are important too. Involving buddies can serve as company, motivation, and can get you up when you really don’t feel up to it. Exercise has been proven to help regulate cravings and appetite, and of course, the release of endorphins is an added bonus and motivator.”
Meagan also advises striking a balance between indulgence and moderation during the festive season: “It’s the festive period! I think it’s important to have fun. All I stress is moderation. Indulge in all the season has to offer, but keep in mind how much and how often. It will be very difficult to start the new year with a new fitness or health routine if you have had no structure or boundaries the whole festive season. Incorporate exercise into this period but be adaptable. Maybe you cannot attend the gym with family visiting, but you could propose a walk after a big lunch or tap into your family/friends’ competitive streak by proposing a game of football, for example. It helps a lot for motivation to have an app or device to track your progress, and don’t forget rest days.”
By incorporating these expert tips from LetsBe’s team of experts, one can enjoy the festive season without compromising your health and well-being. Remember, the key to a healthy holiday season is balance and moderation. Nourish your body with wholesome foods and stay hydrated. Nurture your mind by practicing mindfulness and stress-relief techniques. And balance your health with regular exercise and adequate rest. By combining these elements, you can create a harmonious holiday experience that leaves you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated!
