If the busy malls, deck’d out halls, and lit up houses – big and small – are any indication, it seems the holidays are upon us. This is a time to spend with the ones you love, and to appreciate all the things, good and bad, that have happened this past year. Gifts are being purchased and parties are being attended, and although these are all a fun part of the holidays, it can also mean your fitness goals are put on the back burner. This week we are going to give you a few tips and tricks to help you avoid the holiday bulk-up, all while enjoying all the magic that the holiday season brings!
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Although there are many enjoyable aspects of the holidays, it can also be incredibly stressful. The weather is changing and that means commutes are getting slower. Buying gifts means spending money. Holiday parties means most of your free-time after work and on the weekends is monopolized by social gatherings, potlucks, and maybe even a night-or-two out on the town. The malls are busy, the parking lots at the mall are a nightmare, and as a student this time of year means exams and final projects. All of these are inevitable this time of year but how you decide to respond to it can change everything!
So for our first tip we suggest that you try not to sweat the small stuff! If you know you are heading into traffic, throw on a podcast, listen to your favourite music and practice patience.
Heading to the malls to knock some items off of your loved one’s Christmas lists? Make a game plan before you go, make sure your step-tracker is powered up, and challenge yourself to hit your step-goals AND get all of the gifts you need!
Off to an event and are worried about what to bring or that you may cheat on your diet? Stress can actually cause us to reach for highly palatable foods (ie. salty, sweet, and fatty foods). So try bringing something to the party that will not only keep you on track, but will be a great option for anyone else at the party who is trying to stay on track! If you are heading to a dinner, check out the menu before hand and pick what you know will benefit you and your health goals. Having a small meal beforehand can also make it easier to choose a healthier option on the menu (and will save money!).
Keep It Simple
This goes into the common-sense category of advice,
but it is worth mentioning. Instead of trying to fit everything you have to do in between all of the holiday festivities try picking your priorities, making a modified schedule for those, and know that once the holidays are over, you can go back to your pre-Christmas ways.
More often than not people see the end of the year approaching and take on an extreme new diet or exercise regime to prepare themselves for the New Year. If you have a great fitness regime going on already and the way you are eating is supporting your health, then don’t over-complicate your life by introducing some new restriction or another day at the gym. Enjoy holiday treats in moderation but keep in mind that once the holidays are over you will go back to the way you were eating. Hitting the gym more during/after the holidays to work off those holiday treats makes exercise a punishment for indulgence. Exercise should never be seen as a punishment. Keep getting your workouts in and know that once the holidays are over and all the cookies and cakes have been enjoyed that your workouts and nutrition will get you right back on track.
Enjoy what you Really Love
Okay, maybe not that much, everything in moderation of course! This tip is all about making conscious decisions when you are out at holiday events where treats are on offer.
If you think about some of your favourite holiday treats what come to mind? Now when you are at a party and there is an entire table of tasty desserts and snacks, I bet your favourite holiday treat is on the table mixed in with a number of other things. If you have waited all year to have your aunt’s special Christmas cookies, then by all means, have 1 or 2 of those, but then ask yourself why you are getting more than that? Is it because you love it and really want it? Or is it because it is available to you? This simple check-in with yourself will help you to avoid overindulging!
Give Yourself the Gift of Good Health
Christmas comes around every year and so by creating good habits and developing little tricks like these to help you stay on track you give yourself a gift that keeps on giving! Your health is there with you 365 days of the year for your entire lifetime so make the holiday season a phase in your yearly training plan. Modify your current diet and training plan to accommodate all that the holiday season brings all while keeping the larger picture of your life-long wellness in mind.
Merry Fitmas and Happy Holidays! – FFF
