Dealing with holiday stress

Holiday time is here and along with that comes increased stress for many teachers. Why you ask? Being with 24 children who are excited about Christmas, presents, the possibility of snow, and time off from school does not bode well for TEACHING.

Coincidently, this is the time of year when almost everyday someone comes to school with a plate of homemade cookies, candy, sweets or treats. Everyone wants to acknowledge how much they appreciate teachers and they do so with SUGAR. If you are brainstorming a way to thank a teacher I will put in my two cents. A homemade card or handwritten note goes a long way.

1. I will be able to save it and read it years from now and smile.

2. I will be a happier teacher because I won't be grumpy about my tummy shaking like a bowl full of jelly!

I realize I may sound like a hypocrite because my thank you gift to parents is cookies in a jar, however my excuses are as follows:

1. at least they can choose to make the cookies when they feel like it

2. they have a pretty package all ready if they want to re-gift it

3. baking cookies is a fun holiday experience to have with kids...I am not just giving them sweets...I am giving them an experience.

There are numerous holiday parties and functions where there are plenty of snacks to enjoy, but we seem to indulge now and regret later.

My strategy this year is to say NO to sugar. I appreciate all the sweets I get, but I make sure to share with my fellow co-workers. I feel appreciated, yet am free from the guilt. 

I am also making sure to exercise daily. This is a great way to reduce stress and make me more serious about my no sugar rule.  My minutes of exercise are wasted if I eat cookies everyday. 

At the beginning of December I started Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred on exercise tv on demand. Jillian is a very hardcore, tough trainer from The Biggest Loser. I believe I read she trained 4 of the 5 winners. Her video routines can be completed in no more than 20 minutes a day, yet they are effective and difficult. There are three levels which increase in difficulty and her routines are based on her 3, 2, 1 method (3 minutes strength training, 2 minutes of cardio, and 1 minute of abs). I consider myself someone who is in good shape and I am challenged by level 1.

I have done these routines in conjunction with Jackie Warner's workout series called One-on-one Workout with Jackie.  Jackie's video has three segments (lower body, core, and upper body) which are each about 20 minutes long. I have done both the core and lower body and can honestly say they are AWESOME. If you are one to get bored with the same routine, you may not be a fan of either video, but if you want results and don't have a lot of time to commit to exercise, you might want to give these videos a try. Both are available on amazon.com for cheaper than the prices on exercise tv. 

 

No matter how much holiday shopping, wrapping, card writing, partying, cooking, or decorating I have to do--I never regret taking the time (only 20 minutes!) to workout. As we learned from Elle Woods in Legally Blonde-exercising produces endorphins which makes us happy people. 

Some more tips for staying healthy with good habits during the holiday (from exercisetv.com)

1. Pack it up — lunch, that is. Avoid the no-time-in-the-morning excuse by preparing a lunch that’s on your diet plan the night before. Whether you’re on a low-carb, low-calorie, and/or low-sodium program, staying on your diet will be much easier if you have a “green light” lunch ready to eat at noon. Bonus: You’ll save money (let’s face it: all those restaurant meals can add up to extra bucks as well as excess calories!) and save time.

2. Make room for exercise during the day! For example, if you invest in a pedometer (using those dollars you saved by eating a lunch brought from home) and eat lunch at work, you’ll have time to go for a walk or to the park to exercise. Enlist your co-workers and friends on your daytime-exercise rounds.

“Researchers have discovered that exercising with friends and colleagues is one of the best ways to stay motivated yourself. And the bonus is: You’re helping others to get fit and be healthier!” According to James P. Sargen, CEO of outdoor fitness equipment company TriActive America.

3. Feeling stressed? The bad news about stress: it can make you crave carbs, especially the sweet, crunchy kind. You bite into a sugary, munch-happy candy bar and feel (temporarily) calmed, pleasantly distracted from the cause of your stress, whether it’s your boss’s anger about a missed deadline or a colleague’s temper tantrum over his lost client. Quick, take a hike (literally). Go for a walk outside if you can, or think up a reason to walk to a different area of the office. Just standing up and moving can improve your spirits (and burn calories). Breathe deeply, swing your arms and focus on something to look forward to after work (NOT food-related).

4. Snack smart. Don’t play games with yourself by trying to “save” calories and/or carbs, thinking that you can bank them and then enjoy a big dinner. What is most likely to happen: You’ll be so hungry when you get home that all your good intentions will vanish — and you’ll find yourself in Temptation City, with a carton of almost-emptied ice cream in your hot little hand.

Instead, plan your mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack times the night before, so you can take them with you in the morning. If you’re counting calories, you might want to take a mini-bag of carrots and a piece of fat-free cheese for a morning break, and half an apple spread with a tablespoon of peanut butter for an afternoon break. Counting carbs? A piece of string cheese for the morning break and a low-carb energy bar in the mid-afternoon will keep you satisfied through your work day.