Month: November 2024

The holiday season is a time of joy, connection, and celebration. However, it’s also a time that can bring added stress, endless to-do lists, indulgent meals, and less rest – all of which can affect health and well-being and add to extra belly fat and pounds, especially as we age.

But the good news?

There are ways to navigate the season gracefully and happily without compromising your health, gaining a ton of weight, or losing your sense of peace. Here are some secrets, from an experienced personal trainer who has helped hundreds of women over 55 to thrive and enjoy the holidays to the fullest, without weight gain, overwhelm, or fatigue.

1. Prioritize “You Time” Daily

The Holidays can be full of obligations but remember that taking time for yourself is essential. Just 10-20 minutes each morning for deep breathing, stretching, meditation, or a quick walk can set a positive tone for the day. This simple habit can help reduce stress, improve focus, and increase energy. Plus, if you suffer from arthritis, like so many women over 55, getting in some gentle movement in the morning can be so helpful to reduce aches and pains. 

Quick Tip: Consider journaling each morning. Reflecting on what you’re grateful for and setting intentions for the day can create a mindset shift and help you feel grounded amidst the holiday rush.

2. Follow the 80/20 Rule for Food Choices

Enjoying holiday treats is one of the joys of the season, and you shouldn’t feel the need to deprive yourself. Following the 80/20 rule can help you enjoy without going overboard. Aim to make nutritious choices 80% of the time and let yourself indulge in the other 20%. If you are going to a party, try to have a healthy snack ahead of time, it can help you make better choices than if you arrive hangry. 

Mindful Eating Tip: When eating holiday meals, take time to enjoy each bite. Focus on flavors and textures. This simple act of mindfulness can lead to feeling satisfied sooner and help prevent overeating.

Guess what? I’m hosting my Free Holiday Bust Your Belly Fat Workshop for Women 55+ on Tuesday, Dec. 10th at 11:30am EST (it’s best if you come live, but there will be a replay if you absolutely can’t make it) where I’ll be sharing all of my best tips!

3. Keep Moving – But in Ways You Enjoy

Exercise doesn’t have to be rigorous to be effective, especially when things are hectic. Short walks, stretching, dancing, quick workouts, or gentle yoga can help boost energy, relieve stress, and aid digestion without taking much time.

Holiday Movement Ideas: Park farther from stores when holiday shopping, turn on music and dance while cooking, create a new active family tradition strolling to look at lights, participating in a 5K walk, or playing a game outside, or invite a friend for a brisk walk instead of sitting over coffee.

4. Hydrate Wisely

It’s easy to overlook water during colder months, but dehydration can lead to fatigue, headaches, and even increased cravings. Warm water with lemon or herbal teas can be comforting and hydrating options in the winter months or sip on bone broth for added nutrients and improved gut health. 

Bonus Tip: Try drinking a glass of water before going to an outing and in between alcoholic drinks if you are participating. 

5. Set Boundaries for a Less-Stressful Season

It’s common to feel obligated to do it all during the Holidays, but saying “no” to certain commitments can be one of the best ways to protect your energy. It’s okay to attend fewer events or simplify gift-giving. The people who care about you will understand, and you’ll feel more relaxed and present for the activities you do choose.

Simplify Your Holidays: Choose one or two holiday traditions that bring you true joy, and feel free to skip or modify others. Streamlining can reduce fatigue and help you feel more in control of your holiday experience.

6. Prioritize Rest and Quality Sleep

Good sleep is key to managing weight, stress, and overall health. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night to keep your immune system strong and avoid feeling rundown.

Sleep-Friendly Tips: Avoid screens at least an hour before bed and create a calming evening routine. Reading, light stretching, or listening to soft music can help signal your body that it’s time to wind down, add a lavender pillow spray to your wish list and set the calm mood for sleep. 

7. Use Visualization to Plan Your Ideal Holiday Season

Take a few minutes to imagine how you want to feel when the season ends. Visualizing a balanced, joyful holiday can help you make choices that align with your goals. This practice can reduce stress and help you focus on the memories you’d like to make rather than the “should-do” activities that don’t truly bring happiness.

Visualize Success: Picture yourself feeling healthy, happy, and energized after the holidays. Let this image guide your decisions on food, activities, and self-care throughout the season.

8. Focus on Connection, Not Perfection

The magic of the holiday season is in the connections you make and the memories you create. Focusing on spending meaningful time with loved ones rather than trying to make everything perfect can ease stress and bring more joy to the season.

Tip for Meaningful Moments: Take a break from your phone or camera during family gatherings. Being fully present can deepen connections and create memories that feel more special.

Embrace the Holidays with Confidence

The Holidays don’t have to mean extra stress, fatigue, or weight gain. By prioritizing balance, boundaries, and self-care, you can make this season your best yet – full of warmth, joy, and vitality. Enjoy each moment, treat yourself kindly, and remember: the most beautiful part of the holidays is how you feel, not just what you accomplish.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What’s the most difficult habit for you to keep around the Holidays? Have you managed in years past to not gain weight?

He’s bringing peak big brother energy with this present.

You won’t believe who they had at their table last year.

In my first Sixty & Me blog about helping adult children financially, I noted that today, adult children of the Baby Boom generation live in a different financial reality. In this blog, I’ll cover specific issues, such as housing, student loan debt, and other challenges they face in their quest for financial independence.

Housing Hurdles

Many Baby Boomers achieved the goal of home ownership in their young adult years. Their offspring have not been so fortunate. A 2021 CNBC analysis showed a troubling gap between the average income of $144,192 needed to afford a home and the actual median income of $69,178.

This gap results in younger generations being less likely to be able to afford a home. According to Apartment List’s 2023 Millennial Homeownership Report, Millennials (adults aged 28-44) lag behind previous generations in homeownership by age 30.

This trend is confirmed by the fact that today’s homebuyer is, on average, 44 years old, compared to 25-34 in 1981.

The report also showed that younger generations are losing confidence in their prospects for owning a home. Of Millennials studied in 2018, 13% said they would probably be renters forever. By 2022, this figure climbed to 25%.

Even as renters, their budgets are under stress. Since 1980, average monthly rents increased 8.85% per year even though inflation over the same was 3.09% on average.

Luckily, many Boomer parents are helping by contributing via gift or loan for a downpayment for a house purchase because the young would-be homeowners are often weighed down with student loans and credit card debt. A full 22% of home buyers ages 24-32 depended on such help from a friend or family member.

Student Loan Burden

The cost of post-secondary education has soared over the past several decades. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that average annual undergraduate college costs jumped from 1963 ($1,248) to 2020 ($27,673). When federally guaranteed student loans were rolled out in 1965, students (Boomers) often could cover higher education costs through employment earnings, help from their families, scholarships, etc. Their children were not as lucky as it is rare to find anyone today “working their way through college.”

Instead, students often borrow to cover college costs. This has driven student loan indebtedness to $1.74 trillion, with an average monthly payment of $503, which the typical borrower will pay for 20 years.

Substantial student debt has impacted borrowers’ long-term financial stability and wealth-building ability. As author Anya Kamenetz (Generation Debt, 2006) states, these borrowers are “waiting longer to get married and have children, making people less likely to own a home, start a business or leave their hometowns.”

Credit Card and Other Debt

Many Americans, not just students, have a love/hate relationship with debt of all forms, especially credit cards. According to the Federal Reserve, in Q3, 2024, credit card debt stood at $1.166 trillion.

It’s more than just credit cards. Averages for the other major non-mortgage debt categories show households of all ages carry a significant amount of debt.

Average nonmortgage debt balances by generation

As might be expected, Gen X and Millennials carry the most significant load since they are most likely to have responsibilities like helping to pay children’s college costs as well as caring for aging parents. Gen Z (1996-2012) has less debt simply because they have not had time to accumulate it. Overall, the effect is that the need to pay off debt impedes efforts to build wealth.

Childcare Load

Today, adult children with their own children endure significant cost challenges. The Economic Policy Institute reported in 2020 that U.S. households with children spend between 19% to 29% of their income on child care, depending on location, number of children, and type of care.

Young workers depend on stable employment as one of the main ways to build wealth. Yet, a 2022 study by the bipartisan Council for a Strong America found that expensive and difficult-to-find childcare options were negatively impacting young working parents in terms of:

• Less time at work
• Lower effort and productivity at work
• Work disruptions
• Diminished career pathways

Retirement Savings Obstacles

Recent inflation woes have exacerbated an already troubling trend among post-Boomer generations struggling to save for retirement. The Goldman Sachs Retirement Survey & Insights Report 2022 showed that post-Boomer generations perceive significantly more hurdles to saving for retirement.

What Affected Your Ability to Save for Retirement?

Despite these challenges, many members of the post-Boomer generations are saving for retirement. One encouraging fact is that younger people are starting to save for retirement earlier in their careers. However, given the median amount saved so far, many members of all three generations have a long way to go before accumulating meaningful savings to fund a comfortable retirement, including around 10% of each generation with no retirement savings.

* Workers who are saving for retirement through an employer-sponsored retirement plan and/or outside of work.

Can Boomers Make a Difference?

Post-Boomer generations face significant financial headwinds. Boomer parents fortunate enough to have financial flexibility may be able to offer some welcome help. Nevertheless, parents need to honestly assess if they have such flexibility. In the next blog in this series, I’ll cover the questions parents need to answer before throwing out a financial lifeline to their adult children.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What financial help have you provided to your adult children? Do you think post-Boomer generations are worse off financially? What expenses take the biggest toll on your adult children’s finances?

The Internet’s Daddy is making bank!