4 holiday quirks you need to keep #InControl

MANILA, Philippines – It’s Christmas time and before we get carried away with the year-end Yuletide celebrations, it may be a good idea to pause for a minute and assess your holiday habits. 

When the family gathers around or when the barkada reunites, there are distinctly Pinoy behaviors (guilty pleasures, if you will) that always seem amplified during Christmas.  

Blame it on the holidaze – food comas, endless traffic jams, impulsive shopping sprees, or beer-goggled decisions but everything gets disrupted – your sense of time, your diet and fitness, and even your language. This the time when we may allow ourselves a few small luxuries, but not at the expense of our fitness or our relationships. 

These quirks are not inherently evil, but even if tis’ the season to be jolly, there’s no excuse to lower our standards or to lose control. It would be best to spread the cheer and be more considerate of others and to take care of yourself, too, and that includes your diet. 

So here are some familiar Pinoy guilty pleasures that you should stop this holiday season.

1) “On the way na”

Number one on the list is the habit of Filipino time. Yes, this happens all year round and may even be considered a national affliction. It’s one of those quirks that make our culture unique, but with the holiday rush (and traffic), this can get especially annoying.  

“Where are you?”

“On the way.”

We bet you texted that while standing in front of your dresser still trying to figure out what little black dress to wear to tonight’s Christmas party (don’t worry ladies, we are all guilty of this). 

Meanwhile, all your friends are starving and waiting to get a piece of that lechon your best friend’s lola spent hours roasting. 

You arrive fashionably, but one hour late, and by this time poor lola’s lechon is cold and the crackling is no longer crispy.  

2) Cariño brutal

“Wow you look so good now, bakit wala kang boyfriend?”  (Wow you look so good, but why don’t you have a boyfriend?”

“Tumataba ka ah.” (You seem to be gaining some weight)

Comments like these, especially during family gatherings, are thrown around the dinner table like a basketball during an Ateneo – La Salle game. These “compliments” and even straight up insults are our warped way of showing our cariño or being malambing. 

However, there is a thin line between humor and tactlessness and even if the comments don’t come from a mean place, it can still have a pretty damaging effect to the person it is directed to.  

When the alcohol flows, tempers can flare and feelings can be more sensitive. While no holiday season is complete without a bit of family drama, it’s best to keep this to a minimum. 

3) Oversharing 

#NoFilter #OOTD #SorryNotSorry #Blessed #FollowForFollow 

Being the social media capital of the world, majority of us are guilty of spending too much time on our cellphones; having reduced social interaction to a series of hashtags and shameless selfie-taking. 

There’s nothing wrong with being a bit vain, in fact it’s good to feel confident about yourself and your appearance. However there really is no need to flood our Instagram feeds because you’re #bored or #StuckInTraffic or you #WokeUpLikeThis as a lame attempt to fish for compliments and likes. 

You are worth more than the number of followers and likes you have on your Instagram account so put down your cellphone, get rid of that selfie stick, and just enjoy the experience.

What’s the point of attending social gatherings when all you are doing is documenting every bit of it on social media?

4) Yes to everything. Diet….tomorrow

Another drink? Yes! Let’s go out tonight? Yes! Do I need another pair of heels? Yes! More food? Yes!

It’s easy to forget your healthy eating and exercise regime during the holiday with the excuse that tomorrow is another day to get back on track, but this season challenge yourself to maintain a sense of control. Rid yourself of the “diet tomorrow” mentality and start today.  

Or else, before you know it, the month is over and your waist line is thicker, you’ve suffered through what was basically a month-long hangover, you’ve showed up to work late countless times, and you’re left with an empty wallet and maxed out credit cards.  

Sure, it might have been fun at that moment but this is not exactly how you want to start the new year. Stop being such a yes man during the holidays (and yes, the struggle is real). 

Try to maintain a sense of control. Set fitness, work and personal goals to help you achieve a sense of balance the season. 

Exercise your judgment and allow yourself to say no. 

It’s easy to get carried away with the disruption that comes with the season but challenge yourself to stay in control. 

When you do, you won’t inadvertently step on other people’s toes, you should still fit into your skinny jeans, plus, you’ll feel better about yourself and go into the new year with a positive outlook. – Rappler.com

This holiday season, stay #InControl and stay on track of your health and fitness goals with a little help from Carbtrim.