Festively Fit: Thrive Through The Holidays

The Good News: There is a Better Way!

If all this sounds familiar, your first step is to change your mindset. Practicing sound nutrition, health and fitness habits is vital to life-long wellness. Healthy eating, effective physical activity and regular rest are practices that should become part of who you are and essential to your daily life, just like brushing your teeth or taking a shower. This shift in mindset sets the stage for greater self-empowerment and self-confidence, as well as a transition in locus of control from external to internal.

The key is to recognize that you have the power to transform your life and live it to the fullest during times of joy, trouble, hardship, success, holidays and festivities by applying key foundational behavioral principles. When you do that, you won’t get bogged down with seemingly endless challenging choices in every situation.

If you make the following key foundational behaviors a priority, circumstantial, seasonal and unexpected events won’t have the power to derail you. Each 

“Festively Fit Tip” showcases an example of how you can apply these behaviors in real situations.

1) Drink water

Choose to drink water over anything else. Cold or hot herbal teas are a good option, too. Drink two cups of water when you first wake up in the morning and when you feel hungry outside of your regular mealtime/regular snacks.

Festively Fit Tip: When you arrive at a holiday party, drink two cups of water or herbal tea before you start eating.

2) Move more, sit less

If you have the option of standing versus sitting, stand. If you have the option of walking versus driving, walk. If you have the option of moving about versus standing, move about. Daily physical activity and structured exercise, including cardio, strength and flexibility exercises, are a part of a healthy daily routine.

Festively Fit Tip: When you attend a holiday party or an event, find a way to avoid sitting for the majority of the time (move about the room, start a dance party, etc.)

3) Something positive is better than nothing

Get away from an all-or-nothing mindset. If you don’t have time for a full workout, do 10 minutes of exercise and you’ll reap some positive benefits. If you forgot to add any fruits or vegetables to your meals during the day, add an apple at night. Apply this principle where it makes sense.

Festively Fit Tip: Focus on nutritious foods during the holidays rather than on what you shouldn’t eat. Each time you eat at home or at a holiday party, add things to your plate that are good for you, such as vegetables, fruit, nuts or other healthy proteins or grains.

4) Take control 

Focus. Reflect. Ask yourself: Is this behavior good for me? Be mindful. Choose wisely. Follow-through.

Festively Fit Tip: When you are at a party and about to fill your plate with all the goodies from the buffet, pause and ask yourself: Is it time to eat now? What have I already eaten today? What is available here that is considered healthy?

5) Half is enough

Eat only half of the less-nutritious foods on your plate. If you take a cookie, for example, eat half of it and pack the other half for another day.

Festively Fit Tip: At a holiday party or event, serve yourself only half of what is on the serving platter. For example, if you want a brownie, cut it in two on the serving platter and only serve yourself half (and don’t go back for seconds).  

Pelvic Floor Muscles

Pelvic floor muscles

Having strong pelvic floor muscles gives us control over the bladder and bowel. Weakened pelvic floor muscles mean the internal organs are not fully supported and you may have difficulty controlling the release of urine, faeces (poo) or flatus (wind).

Common causes of a weakened pelvic floor include childbirth, obesity and the associated straining of chronic constipation. Pelvic floor exercises are designed to improve muscle tone and prevent the need for corrective surgery.

What are pelvic floor muscles?

Pelvic floor muscles are the layer of muscles that support the pelvic organs and span the bottom of the pelvis. The pelvic organs are the bladder and bowel in men, and bladder, bowel and uterus in women. The diagram below shows the pelvic organs and pelvic floor muscles in women (right) and men (left).

The pelvic floor muscles stretch like a muscular trampoline from the tailbone (coccyx) to the pubic bone (front to back) and from one sitting bone to the other sitting bone (side to side). These muscles are normally firm and thick.

Imagine the pelvic floor muscles as a round mini-trampoline made of firm muscle. Just like a trampoline, the pelvic floor is able to move down and up. The bladder, uterus (for women) and bowel lie on the pelvic floor muscle layer.

The pelvic floor muscle layer has hole for passages to pass through.There are two passages in men (the urethra and anus) and three passages in women (the urethra, vagina and anus). The pelvic floor muscles normally wrap quite firmly around these holes to help keep the passages shut. There is also an extra circular muscle around the anus (the anal sphincter) and around the urethra (the urethral sphincter).

Although the pelvic floor is hidden from view, it can be consciously controlled and therefore trained, much like our arm, leg or abdominal muscles.

What do pelvic floor muscles do?

Pelvic floor muscles provide support to the organs that lie on it. The sphincters give us conscious control over the bladder and bowel so that we can control the release of urine, faeces (poo) and flatus (wind) and allow us to delay emptying until it is convenient. When the pelvic floor muscles are contracted, the internal organs are lifted and the sphincters tighten the openings of the vagina, anus and urethra. Relaxing the pelvic floor allows passage of urine and faeces.

Pelvic floor muscles are also important for sexual function in both men and women. In men, it is important for erectile function and ejaculation. In women, voluntary contractions (squeezing) of the pelvic floor contribute to sexual sensation and arousal.

The pelvic floor muscles in women also provide support for the baby during pregnancy and assist in the birthing process.

The muscles of the pelvic floor work with the abdominal and back muscles to stabilise and support the spine.

What can make these muscles loose?

Pregnancy and childbirth for women

Straining on the toilet

Chronic coughing

Heavy lifting

High impact exercise

Age

Obesity

How can I strengthen these muscles?

The first thing you need to do is find out which muscles you need to train. It is very important to correctly identify your pelvic floor muscles before moving into a regular pelvic floor muscle exercise program. To find out how to find and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, see the links below.

• Pelvic floor muscle exercises for women
• Pelvic floor muscle exercises for men

Ways To Give The Gift of Health

1. Services

Health club memberships promote year-round health, but they can be pricey. The average cost in the United States is about $58 per month or $700 per year. If that's too much, consider a gift certificate for a few sessions with a personal trainer. Look for a personal trainer who's certified through an organization such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

2. Gadgets

A wearable fitness monitor is helpful to track everything from heart rate to the number of steps walked per day. The majority cost between $50 and $200, and you'll find them at big box stores and sports retailers. An automatic pill dispenser makes sticking to a medication regimen easier for someone who takes several pills daily. The devices are available in drugstores and online. Prices start at about $50.

3. Workout equipment

For people who like to exercise at home, consider giving a new set of resistance bands, hand weights, a yoga mat, or exercise clothes with fibers that wick away moisture. Any of these can be found for less than $50.

4. Classes

An exercise class makes a good gift, especially if you offer to come along. Sometimes people are more inclined to exercise with company. Plus, having someone with you adds an element of safety, and you can share a common goal.  Consider tai chi, ballroom dance, or yoga. Classes are usually sold in packages. You'll find them in exercise studios, hospitals, and community centers. Prices vary.

5. Information

Don't forget the gift of knowledge. Not surprisingly, we are partial to products from Harvard Health Publishing. Give someone a newsletter for $20 a year, or one our many special health reports for $20 ($18 for an electronic copy). There are reports on dozens of topics, each offering insight and advice for improving your health, such as gaining better balance, boosting energy, and losing weight. Check them out at www.health.harvard.edu.