The 12 Days of Zest
‘Tis the season – to take care of yourself!
The holiday season is a special time of year to be social and celebrate the season. However, they can also pose challenges for coping with stress, eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep, and managing the household budget.
The Zest Wellness Team wants you to enjoy your holidays. That’s why we created the #12DaysOfZest to zest up your Christmas season! Follow along as we drop a new wellness tip every day for 12 days leading up to #Christmas.
Let’s keep you and your loved ones as healthy and happy as possible during the most wonderful time of the year!
On the first day of zest, Zest Wellness gave to me, quality over quantity.
When it comes to holiday shopping you can easily find yourself in stressful amounts of debt overbuying for your loved ones.
Instead, try thinking hard about quality items they will thoroughly enjoy. Do this instead of mindlessly purchasing gifts to give as many items as possible that might just end up collecting dust.
On the 2nd day of zest, Zest Wellness gave to me, utilize what is presented to you.
Mental health and physical health can be overlooked over the holidays. You can keep yourself sharp by educating yourself with the following resources such as our Podcast, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
On the 3rd day of zest, Zest Wellness gave to me…mindfulness
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS? Meditation is just one form of brain training to improve attention and focus. Mindfulness is the goal of meditation. It’s the act of applying your ability to be calm, aware, kind, open, curious, intentional, nonjudgmental and compassionate to the other 24 hours of your day. We have our own meditation portal on the Zest Wellness app called WHIL. Look for WHIL – MINDFULNESS 101on your programs page to learn more about how to access your own personalized mindfulness training program.
On the 4th day of zest, Zest Wellness gave to me, movement.
Get your holiday hustle on by challenging yourself to move for just 15 minutes today. Dancing, walking, running, weightlifting, hiking, yoga, gardening…you name it, it counts!
On the 5th day of zest, Zest Wellness gave to me, emotional intelligence.
Spending a lot of time with family can be hard mentally and emotionally. Arm yourself with emotional intelligence 101 training on WHIL to get you through tough situations at home and at work. You can login to our WHIL meditation portal by downloading the WHIL app or clicking the link on your Zest Wellness programs page. If you’re not a Zest Wellness member but want to learn more visit https://blog.whil.com
On the 6th day of zest, Zest Wellness gave to me, gratitude.
It might seem silly but try to write down 5-things you are grateful for today. You might surprise yourself with how hard or easy it is. Practicing gratitude can do wonders to impact your mental health in a positive way. Have you experienced your perspective shift from simple acts of gratitude?
On the 7th day of zest, Zest Wellness gave to me, perspective.
Do you tend to worry about weight gain from overconsumption during the holiday season? We challenge you to change your perspective on food this Christmas. Instead of looking as foods as “unhealthy” vs. “healthy” think of them as “nutrient dense” or “energy dense” food. Focus on trying to eat as many nutrient dense (vegetables, fruits, meats & healthy carbohydrates etc.) foods as possible that make you feel good. As long as you’re getting your nutrients in, mixing in a few energy dense foods (treats, candy, baked goods etc.) but being aware of their effect on your mood & energy levels long term is a good balance.
On the 8th day of zest, Zest Wellness gave to me, stretching.
Traveling for the holidays, spending long hours in a car or on a plane can lead to aches and pains in the hips and lower back. Daily stretching is a great way to avoid these aches from turning into chronic pain. Lucky for you we just recorded a new podcast episode all about The Importance of Stretching with special guest, Marita Marshall. https://podcasts.apple.com/bs/podcast/the-zest-wellness-podcast/id1339678009
On the 9th day of zest, Zest Wellness gave to me, stress-relief.
The Holidays can be draining and stressful. Did you know that by being more active you can actually increase your energy levels and relieve stress at the same time? The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, go for a walk or practice some light yoga. You won’t regret it! For more free wellness resources visit our website: www.zestwellnesscgi.com
On the 10th day of zest, Zest Wellness gave to me, traditions.
The holidays are full of traditions. What traditions can you start that promote wellness? Family walk? Family step challenge? Who can hold a plank the longest?
Pictured: Our Cayman Wellness Coordinator, Glenn Duran and his family.
On the 11th day of zest, Zest Wellness gave to me, healthy recipes.
Healthy eating is a key component of management and prevention of certain diseases like #diabetes. That being said, eating wholesome, nutritious meals can be boring if you’re making the same things all the time. Switch things up by trying to recipes weekly. This week give our Candied Pumpkin and Pineapple Parfait a try. http://www.zestwellnesscgiblog.com/blog/2018/12/21/candied-pumpkin-and-pineapple-parfait
On the 12th day of zest, Zest Wellness gave to me, habits.
On this day of celebration, we like to focus on family and the experiences in the moment. We challenge you to be device free the whole day! Set your phone down and enjoy the day. It will be over before you know it. In order to make create a device free zone for yourself, try keeping your phone out of your bedroom, especially at night. Happy Holidays!
