The holiday season is a busy time. With family visits, large meals, and countless errands, it can be nearly impossible to continue with the fitness routine you have established for yourself. Even when it is difficult, there are a few simple ways that you can prevent yourself from falling completely off the wagon during the season of overindulgence.
1. Plan Your Workouts
The holiday season is not the time to have a go-with-the-flow attitude when it comes to your workout routines. Without a schedule in place, you are likely to never make it the gym. Even if you don’t have time for your normal workout, try to squeeze in a little exercise time. Twenty minutes of jogging or weightlifting is better than zero minutes.
It may also be beneficial to find new times to workout. Even if you wouldn’t normally workout first thing in the morning, that might work better during the holiday season. Morning workouts will prevent you from missing a workout due to the distraction of family get-togethers, parties, or other holiday-related events.
2. Find an Exercise Partner
Holiday exercise is difficult, so having someone who can hold you accountable can be really beneficial to staying on track. If you have friends who regularly hit the gym, see if they want to either hit the gym with you or just help keep you accountable.
Even if you don’t have friends that like to work out, you can find an accountability partner online or you can use a fitness app like MyFitnessPal to keep you motivated.
3. Track Your Food Intake and Activity Level
Diets are often tossed out the window early into the holiday season because large meals with delicious foods make it hard to stay focused on a diet. Spending a few minutes each day writing down what you are eating can help you be more conscientious of your food choices. Remember that splurges here and there are fine, but watch that you aren’t eating way too much every day.
Tracking your activity can motivate you to stick to a workout routine. Even if you can’t spend hours a week in the gym, you will be able to see the effort you are putting into exercising during such a busy time of the year.
4. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is good for your body for many reasons. Aside from the obvious, your brain can mistake thirst with hunger, which can lead to overeating. Focus on drinking plenty of water throughout each day. You can also drink a large glass of water before each meal to prevent overindulging at the dinner table.
5. Keep Moving
One of the worst things you can do for your body is sitting too much. Be sure you are moving around for at least five minutes every hour. Take breaks during long car rides to get out of the car, stretch, and walk for a few minutes. Incorporate micro workouts into your day, by doing squats, lunges, and other simple exercises—even if you are just doing them while watching a football game or cooking a meal.
6. Remember That It’s Okay to Splurge
It is unrealistic to expect yourself to pass up all the less-than-healthy items served at holiday dinners. Instead of trying to avoid things, allow yourself a small portion of the things you can’t live without, and don’t feel guilty about it later.
The most important thing is that you don’t overindulge and then continue to do so throughout the holiday season. Allow yourself extra treats for the days you’re are celebrating, and then try to get back into your old diet.
If you need a little extra motivation this holiday season, Plunkett Fitness can help. Contact us today to set up a consultation for personal training, which will include a personalized training and nutritional plan made just for you. Call us at 913-390-3360 or fill out a form to sign up online.
