Chocolate, Sleep, Stress, Organization and The Holidays

These words have entered my mind several times over the past few weeks in the context of leading a healthy lifestyle.

#1) Chocolate - Always an issue for me and even more over the holidays. It is every where and I have no control over eating it. So the best I can do is try and limit myself as much as possible. Keep exercising regularly to offset the extra calories over the holidays.

#2) Sleep - As soon as I start lacking in sleep I notice several patterns. My face breaks out, I eat to combat sleepiness, and I put less effort into organizing and staying focused on my goals. Make sleep a priority and commit to 8 or more hours a night. This is my bodies time to repair and relax.

#3) Stress - Stress coming from work, home, school, finances and/or other sources cannot be fixed by eating for pleasure. I am glad I am aware of this and need to look at other ways to deal with stress, including exercise, journaling, crafting. More on stress when I have a chance to examine my patterns more closely.

#4) Organization - My successful days depend on how organized I am. Do I have healthy snacks made for the day? Do I have my gym bag packed and ready to go? Do I have exercise scheduled in my calendar for the week? Do I have sufficient groceries for the next few days? Etc. Etc. This will come along as I simplify things in my life and develop rituals.

#5) The Holidays - Enjoy, eat, exercise and clean it up in January.