Christmas is a time of family get-togethers, great food, fun, laughter, presents and perhaps a glass or two, or three of wine or other festive cheer of your choice. Often there are lunches with one family, then travel to dinner with another. There may be picnics and BBQs on days either side. Excited children waking early to open presents.
During the month of December there is shopping to be done, decorations to be hung, the tree has to look perfect.
SLOW DOWN!!!!
Chronic conditions don’t take a holiday over Christmas and New Year – they have this remarkable ability to keep on keeping on.
Here are my tips for keeping on track during the holidays. Click on the links provided for more information!
Avoid the Boom Bust Cycle
This is the very time of the year you want to ensure you avoid the boom bust cycle.
This is the very time of the year I hope your friends and family understand the activity limits you set for self-preservation.
Don’t try to do EVERYTHING, don’t try to be perfect or to meet social expectations. You know your limits, adhere to them.
It goes without saying not to leave things to the last minute – plan out the month of December carefully so you don’t overdo on some days.
Watch the Calories!
Ensure you pay attention to your calorie intake. The festive season is one where we can easily indulge and spend the next month paying for the privilege by increased pain levels in our joints.
Keep Moving!
While it might be difficult to keep up all your exercise routines every day, please ensure you maintain your daily stretching.
Sun Protection is a MUST!
Remember to slip, slop, slap! It can be easy to forget your sun protection when partying. Don’t!
Have Fun
There is no link for this tip – just have fun, enjoy your friends and family.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Festive Season.
If you aren’t exercising yet, you are still working up the courage, make a New Year’s resolution to call or email me in January.
Limberation 
Enjoyed this wise advice Robyn. Had a wee conniption when I read the following :
” This is the very time of the year I hope your friends and family understand the activity limits you set for self-preservation. ” …. You hope, I hope, but it doesn’t happen in my family. And certainly not in Neil’s family. Neil is not very well either, but the expectations of the families are ultra-high, and what I have to do is, … not react adversely to that …. not an easy thing to achieve.
I put it down to their own excitement over the whole thing, and consideration of others goes out the window – except for gift giving ???
Am going to push the envelope next year, and suggest we all do a Kris Kringle ( the normal thing now ) … with a preferred charity to contribute to – with receipt as a gift to the KK recipient. At least for the adults. AND that kids get two gifts each ONLY … so’s they can learn some value and respect. You should SEE what Neils’ family hands out for kids presents – it is almost obscene, and sure as heck doesn’t teach them any values. Grrrr … grumpy old Granny. 😀
Take care – Annie B.
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Annie, I am sorry your family doesn’t respect the limits. Perhaps you could gently direct them to this site – hearing it from a third party sometimes helps. I had a great time in Tasmania and am glad to be back.
Hope you survived the holiday season!
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