Maintaining healthy living over the holidays may be challenging for some people. The holidays are about celebrating with our families and that usually involves a lot of food, sugary beverages, desserts, and often sitting around inside our homes. The weather is colder and the thought of outdoor activities might not be the first thing on our minds. For some, that may be difficult due to age or the need to use an assistive device such as a wheelchair or cane.
A lot of us give up our regular routines around the holidays and end up feeling guilty about not maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. We may tell ourselves that we are allowed this cheat time and will get back to that schedule once the celebrations are over. Sometimes this leads to ultimately not picking that routine back up and ending up in an inactive and unhealthy lifestyle.
Healthy Living: Holiday Excercise Tips
Plan Short Workouts
Roasting a turkey? Baking a pie? Use this time to create a quick workout that you could do right in your home. If you have stairs you could take a few trips up and down to get your heart rate up. Those that have a home gym or treadmill might incorporate a simple workout when you have an opportune time while food prepping. There are also short fitness videos or apps on your phone that you might try while you wait for your company to arrive.
HEALTHY LIVING BONUS: Think outside the box. If you have canned goods and water bottles, do a few reps lifting those overhead or doing some lateral raises.
Get the Family Engaged
After everyone has eaten and their stomachs are full, instead of heading to the couch to either pass out or watch football, round everyone up and head outside. Everyone could go to the backyard, a park, or even sledding if weather permits. There are plenty of outdoor games such as cornhole, badminton, tag, or even hide and seek. If there is a basketball court nearby, that is another option. When everyone is involved, it can be an afternoon of family bonding and healthy living while burning some of those calories from the feast!
Take a Walk
Put on some comfortable shoes and go for a walk. Walking is a low-impact exercise that has many benefits that contribute to healthy living. Not only does it get the heart pumping, but is a less strainful physical activity. Go for a stroll around the neighborhood and take in the fresh air. Walking can also be one of those short workouts while you wait for a casserole to bake.
HEALTHY LIVING BONUS: If you have a family dog, this would be a great time to have them accompany you.
Park the Car Further Out
When you are out shopping for food or gifts this time of year, consider parking in a spot that is farther away from the store entrance. This will ensure that you will have a decent distance to walk and you can rack up those steps on your fitness tracker.
Healthy Living: Don't Let Incontinence Stop You
If you suffer from incontinence, you may be worried about being active and are also concerned about involuntary episodes while you’re around family and friends this time of year. There are plenty of things that you can do during the holidays to allow you to stay involved and enjoy every moment.
Watch Your Fluids
Although drinking water before a meal may help you to avoid overeating during the season, if you have urinary incontinence, you might want to slightly hold back from consuming too much and too often. Try to stay properly hydrated, but limit the amount of alcohol and caffeine you’re consuming, especially when you are going to work out. You are more likely to have an accident if your bladder is irritated by the caffeine.
Empty Your Bladder Often
Prior to heading out for a walk, beginning an activity with family, or doing a short exercise while your turkey is in the oven, be mindful of emptying your bladder instead of trying to hold it. This will help to avoid any strain on the bladder and may help to lessen any leakage while trying to enjoy your day on your journey of healthy living during the holidays.
Use Protective Products
As with any type of incontinence, using the right protective hygiene products is key. For light to moderate urine loss, pantie liners, pads, and male guards should be used. Moderate to heavy urine loss calls for either a belted undergarment, pull-on, or tab brief. You’ll feel more confident and secure when you are being active if you are properly protected.
HEALTHY LIVING BONUS: Wear loose-fitting black pants! In the event that you have a leak, black can help hide the evidence and the loose-fit of the clothing can also help hide the extra protection you are wearing.
The most important thing that you can do around the holidays is focus on enjoying all the moments with the ones you love. Take it easy on yourself and know that you are not able to control everything that happens. With a few of these healthy living tips, we hope that you can try not to veer too far away from your normal routine and remain active all through the holidays.
For more information on any of the products we offer if you suffer from incontinence, please give us a call or contact us now and one of our Product Experts would be happy to help.
