Here is a quick slideshow that dives into healthy behaviors and outcomes associated with the traditional Holiday craziness.

1. How to
Survive the
Holidaze

2. The “obvious”:
Physical activity
Nutrition
The “not so obvious”:
Stress
Hormones
Breathing

3. Physical Activity
Increase activity in different ways
● Intensity: Effort
● Frequency: More often
● Duration: More minutes
Stretch shortened muscles form poor posture
(sitting) – abdominals, hamstrings, hip flexors,
neck packing, ankle complex, thoracic spine;
strengthen postural muscles – lower back,
glutes, neck.

4. Nutrition
● Adjust calories/carbs if going to eat more
(carbs) later.
● Shop the perimeter of the grocery store
● Eat before you shop, never go hungry!
● Little to no carbs after training; and limit in the
evening.
Carbohydrates?
High?
Low?

5. Stress
Stress vs. Stressors
Stressors are everywhere, but stress can be
highly individual.
We need some stress; stress has protected us
for thousands of years. It motivates us to get
things done!
However, all stressors are perceived in roughly
the same way.
Stress: Increased HR, Muscles tense, Blood
sugar fluctuations, hormone dumps,

6. Stress (cont.)
● Sympathetic nervous system overload
● Stress – good to a point, then sharply decreases
Negative effects include:
a)Decreased Immune function
b)Increased Heart attack and stroke risk
c)Increased cancer risk?
d)Increased Atherosclerosis
e)Decreased brain function (smaller brain cells with
fewer branches and myelin “insulation”)
f)Accelerate cell death via telomere shortening
g)Substrate abnormalities, i.e. muscle and fat
● Karoshi – Japanese, “death from overwork”

7. Stress (cont.)
Oxytocin can help counterbalance the
negative effects of stress
● Social interaction
● Strong relationships
● Touching, hugging in a non-creepy way.

8. Hormones
● Leptin (controls satiety) vs. Ghrelin (controls
hunger)
● Cortisol – directly related to stress levels
● Insulin (▲blood sugar) vs. Glucagon ( ▼blood
sugar)
● Adrenaline...adrenal fatigue theory?

9. Breathing
● Three-dimensional exercise
● Diaphragmatic vs. Chest breathing
● Parasympathetic activity
● Reduce BP, RHR, anxiety
● Improve oxygenation of tissues
● Inhale through belly for 2/3 of your breath and
chest for the other 1/3. Exhale twice as long as
it takes to inhale.

10. Breathing
● Three-dimensional exercise
● Diaphragmatic vs. Chest breathing
● Parasympathetic activity
● Reduce BP, RHR, anxiety
● Improve oxygenation of tissues
● Inhale through belly for 2/3 of your breath and
chest for the other 1/3. Exhale twice as long as
it takes to inhale.