Staying fit during the holidays can be a struggle, especially when all you want to do is relax and of course eat that delicious food! It is no surprise our fitness levels decrease as our waistlines increase. But, it is not as difficult as it may seem. Even the most disciplined individuals can give into the temptation but not to worry, we have you covered on how to stay fit during the holidays.
Keep Moving
Although, you may just want to take a beat and relax you need to keep moving. During the holidays you are more likely to lay around and minimize your movements and exercise. Do not just sit around on the couch watching the football or having movie marathons. Get up and move, even going for a walk around the block is better than nothing. Stay active as much as you possibly can.
Any movement is better than no movement.
Mentality
You know the saying, ‘I will start tomorrow’. You can not start anything by constantly saying this. You need to draw a line and set a motion, otherwise you are never going to get there. If you are serious about staying fit during the holidays, start today, not tomorrow.
Have a Plan
You know the holidays are coming and you know that it can be difficult to stay fit. So, before it even arrive have a plan of action. You need to motivate and coach yourself to follow the plan you set out to keep up your fitness.
You should utilize tools to stick to a routine. Things you can take advantage of include:
Reminders on your phone. They allow you to stay on a schedule preventing you from running out of time, so you can not use that excuse for not fitting a workout in.
Calender’s (electronic or paper). Keeping a calendar allows you to keep track of events, dinners, outings and of course schedule in a workout or two! Being organized and trying to figure out a routine that is going to work best for you, provides you with the best chance of staying fit during the holidays.
Lists. No matter what things can slip your mind and you can become forgetful. Utilize lists to take notes of the things you eat, how much water you drink and the exercise you participate in from fun activities to an actual workout.
Stick to a routine to the best of your abilities. It is easier to get your workout done in the morning before any distractions or time constraints prevent you from staying fit during the holidays. Morning workouts are great as they wake you up, get you motivated and ready for the day ahead. If you are not a morning person you may struggle a little with this, however it is one of the best options to staying fit.
Water
More often than not even on a regular day we struggle to consume the amount of water we actually need. During the holidays it can be even harder to get the H2O that you need.
Drinking enough water can also curb the amount of food and treats you eat, or should I say inhale. Sometimes your brain gets confused and thinks you are hungry when you are actually just thirsty. Have a glass of water before you eat, while your eating and even after you eat to prevent you from overindulging.
You should consume a minimum of 6-8 glasses of water minimum, depending on your activity levels you may need to drink more!
Expect The Unexpected
Scheduling and sticking to a routine can be difficult, especially during the holidays. If you are serious about maintaining your fitness levels and health you need to be prepared.
You should try to always carry some healthy food with you at all times, preferably something that does not have to be refrigerated or heated. This is important as it allows you to snack and fill up on healthier foods rather than the delicious treats you are often served during these periods.
You should also do your best to carry a gym bag with you. This gives you the option to squeeze in a workout when you have some time to spare. Taking advantage of gaps in your day when you have time to spare can make a big difference in staying fit.
Avoid All Or Nothing Mindset
Getting in a negative mindset when it comes to your health and fitness is the last thing you want to do. If you adapt an all or nothing perspective you are more than likely going to avoid exercising and staying fit. Understand and give yourself leeway that some days you are going to smash your health and exercise goals, while others you may just flop. You can not let the days you flop or let your guard down to affect you.
Some exercise is better than no exercise. There is always time and opportunity you just have to find it. A family walk around the block is better than nothing. Going for a bike ride in the neighborhood is still exercise. Doing a shorter workout instead of your usual hour long work out is fine. Something is better than nothing and even small sessions of activity can help you to maintain your fitness.
Get Creative
You do not have to stick to your regular workout. You would not believe how much exercise you can get by just doing holiday activities and getting creative! A few alternative options for a workout include:
- Play sports with family and friends
- Walk or bicycle instead of taking the car for short distances or running errands
- Take the stairs instead of an elevator
- Ice skating
- Roller skating
- Swimming
- Bike riding
Figure Out Your Road Blocks
You should do your best to identify your triggers during the holidays. What makes you not want to exercise? What treats do you always over indulge in? DO you always go back for a second dessert? Knowing your roadblocks that influence your eating negatively or skipping your workout allows you to avoid or minimize the impact they have on your health and fitness.
Sleep
I get it, you want to spend time with family and friends, enjoying nights out and celebrating – but you need to sleep. Sleep is vital for your health and can impact your fitness levels during the holidays. If you do not get enough sleep you wont have the energy or motivation to complete a workout or the very least a short walk or run around the block. Try to keep a routine for your sleep as much as you can.
Ensuring you get enough hours of solid sleep to rejuvenate your body for the next day.
Opt For High Intensity
Your regular workout may take you an hour of slow and steady exercises. Instead you should opt for short high intensity workouts. This minimizes the time you require for working out while still allowing you to get your exercise in and keep up your fitness levels. You should also ditch single muscle group work outs and try exercises that target more than one muscle group. Doing this again minimizes the amount of time you require to complete a full body workout while still addressing your whole body.
Find A Workout Buddy
One of the biggest struggles when staying fit during the holidays is finding the motivation. Find yourself a workout buddy. They are great for motivating and accountability. This ensures that you both stick to a routine whether it is a run around the block or meeting at the gym. Having someone else to rely on and motivate you minimizes the risk of your fitness levels suffering.
Not only does a workout buddy hold you accountable, they create a positive environment and energy when it comes to exercise. Ever found it easier to smash through a run with someone beside you? The same thing happens when working out and getting any sort of exercise. There is a lot of power in surround yourself with others who have a positive and enthusiastic mindset when it comes to workout – this can be vital during those holidays when you want to stay fit but do not want to do anything!
Goal Setting
Often times you will loose sight of your fitness goals while enjoying the holidays. This can derail you majorly as you have nothing you are striving and working for. You should be minor goals that will help you to work your way to your major goals. This holds you accountable for fulling the goals you set and gives you something to strive for. You need to stay committed and consistent and setting goals is a great way.
Eating
To minimize your temptation of eating all those delicious snacks and meals during the holidays you should do your best to eat before heading out. Eating prior to leaving your home allows you to control what you eat and how much you eat. If you eat something healthy and then get offered food or treats while you are out you are more likely to decline or eat less. Prevention is the best method.
You do not need to indulge in all the holiday foods and treats for the whole period. Take control and minimize the treats as much as you can. Send family and friends away with leftovers. Get rid of anything that is going to be a temptation to you. This prevents them from becoming staples in your diet over the holidays so you can stick to as much of a normal diet as possible.
Take your time to eat. Eating slower allows you to actually enjoy your food and savour the flavours. Not only that but you end up fuller sooner as your brain tells you that you are no longer hungry. Chew your food 30-40 times per mouthful and you will be surprised how little you actually eat.
Listen To Yourself
One of the best things you can do is to listen to what you body is telling you. If you just are not feeling up to a full on workout but could manage a jog or a walk instead do that. If you want to train and workout, do it. If you force yourself into any physical activity during the holidays you are more likely going to create a negative mindset that prevents you from exercising the rest of the holidays. Stay positive.
Stress Levels
Holidays can be stressful, from trying to schedule everything in to making sure you have everything you need – there is always added holiday stress. When some individuals are stressed, they stress eat, can have increased cravings of junk and sugary foods. Minimizing and controlling your stress levels during the holidays will allow you to stay in control. A few great ways to de-stress include:
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Deep Breathing
Cooking
Now this may sound a little ridiculous but trust me, it can change a lot. If you are going to baking or cooking a lot over the holidays you should try substituting ingredients for healthier options. This lowers calorie intake allowing you to staying in control and fit during the holidays. Here are a few ideas:
- Use a lower calorie sugar such as stevia or xylitol instead of sugar
- Add dried fruits and nuts instead of chocolate chips
- Utilize healthier cooking methods such as baking, steaming or grilling instead of frying
- Use low-fat or skim milk instead of full cream milk
- Replace sour cream and cream cheese with Greek yogurt
- Flavour drinks with lemon or lime rather than honey or sugar
Take A Cue From Your Children
Holidays are family time more than ever. Have you ever noticed kids are barely ever sitting still? Take a cue from them and be inspired. If they want to go to the beach or a pool, do it! If they want to go run a muck outdoors and have a water fight, join them! You will be surprised just how much energy you will actually burn running after you kids and taking a page from their book. You will burn calories, stay fit and sleep like a baby when you end up falling in to bed.
Things To Remember
- Portion sizes are just as important, more than ever. Eat less but more often. Use a smaller plate size and avoid picking at food. This allows you to control your intake.
- If you are going to drink alcohol try to stick to low-crab beverages. You would be surprised how much sugar alone you can cut out of your diet by drinking smarter.
- You are not always going to be able to hit the gym or burn the calories you want, but that is okay. Do not let it ruin your goal of staying fit during the holidays.
Although it may seem daunting or an impossible task to stay fit during the holidays, there are multiple tips, tricks and methods to keep you fit, healthy and happy. Remember the holidays are a time to kick off your shoes, spend time with family and friends but do not create bad habits for yourself. Simply put, make time for exercise, limit your food intake and do not forget your sleep and water! If you are diligent you may not only prevent increasing your waistline over the holidays, but you may have even decreased it. Stay motivated, hold yourself accountable and stay fit during the holidays.
