We begin our year with a fresh, new resolution. We have plans, goals, and ambitions to meet, but sometimes life interjects, and we stray off our path. When fall arrives we know the end of the year is near, and celebrating is around the corner. We begin to retrospect about what we wanted to accomplish in the first place! Whether there is a goal that was not accomplished, or there is a new one to take it's place we can continue to strive for healthy living!

During the holidays it can be especially difficult to stay dedicated to our health. We have much to celebrate such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's! Holidays are a time of togetherness, tradition, and celebration. At this time of the year food is not only sustenance, but also a communal experience! Most of us lead busy lives. There is constant hustle, and bustle. The holidays arise to give us an excuse to slow down, and catch up with loved ones!

Let's stay committed to our health, and celebrate. An essential first step to doing both is awareness, and being conscious of our actions. Often times we don't realize that we are slipping. It's subtle, and gradual, and before we know it, we haven't accomplished anything for our goals in weeks. To start being aware we need to focus on our time, meals, sleep, and exercise.

Journals are a great tool that we thankfully can use both manually, and digitally. Grab a notebook, or download an application of choice, and begin. We may not realize how much time we do or don't spend on activities. How many hours of video streaming have we enjoyed? How many hours did we exercise this past week? We can journal everything from how much time we spend on certain things, our foods, water in take, sleep, and exercise. Some of us are lucky enough to even have accessories that monitor this for us, and to make it as convenient as possible.

Once we journal we can look back on our entries, and make some realizations about our self. What are some things we could do differently? Could we exercise more? Pay closer attention to our meals? Could we have better quality of sleep? These are all things worth mentioning. Now is the time to plan. We can take a look at our initial goal, and break it down into more attainable monthly goals that we can accomplish. Plan to sleep at least seven to eight hours a day, drink enough water, eat healthy meals, and exercise.

The holidays can also bring out a unique stress in some. Perhaps it is money for gifts, or they are not a fan of crowds. Exercise is a great way to relieve stress. It releases endorphins which help alleviate our mood. When we finally make it to our many planned events, an important aspect to remember is portion control. Please sit down with the loved ones, and enjoy a tasty meal. Just remember what food items to focus on, and which to limit.

To further enjoy our celebrations we can practice mindfulness, and being in the moment. We can sit down our phones, put them on silent, or even turn them off. When we are fully present we can obtain what others are saying to us much easier. We can practice active listening, and not just what we are going to say next. By doing this we enhance our quality time with those that mean the most to us, and strive for better living!

About the Author:
Ginger McBride is a certified health coach, wellness expert, entrepreneur, and raw food enthusiast. She is the founder of Raw Ninja – a wellness coaching membership that provides affordability and accessibility to her clients. She is passionate about helping others with their health, inspiring them to reach their goals through motivation, and education! To learn more visit www.rawninja.net

Description:
Holidays can be a difficult time to stay healthy. Learn four ways to continue to strive for healthy living, and celebrate at the same time!