The holiday season can be associated with feelings of stress and anxiety about the ability to maintain your fitness goals. Working on your health and fitness year-round only to come back in the New Year kilos heavier, with low energy and a decline in your fitness levels can be demoralizing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can still enjoy yourself without completely de-railing your health and fitness. How? Here’s a few tips to ensure you stay on track!
Exercise Tip:
Still remain active; even if there is a reduction in time dedicated to exercise and intensity. If you are used to going to the gym 3-5 times per week you may reduce this amount during the holiday period to spend quality time with family or friends- and that’s ok! Instead commit to the gym once or twice a week, and on the other days schedule walks with a close friend or family member or play outside with your children at the beach, pool, or park. Also aim to increase your incidental activity/exercise wherever possible!
Nutrition Tip:
Pick and choose the days you will eat more and treat those days as a re-feed. For example, perhaps you pick Christmas Day and New Year’s Day to enjoy all types of food and then the other days you remain in a calorie deficit. This is the best way to maintain your current weight!
This period is a time where some may feel guilty about eating that cake or drinking more than usual. Decide before you arrive at a lunch, dinner, or an event if you are going to eat dessert or cheese and biscuits. Whatever the decision, stick to your original plan. This will take away any feelings of guilt.
Lastly, it’s important to not punish yourself if you do eat more than you had planned. Doing excessive cardio or skipping meals the next day to make-up for the previous day isn’t going to be beneficial to your physical or mental health. Instead of dwelling on any potential setbacks, reserve that energy for finding focus for future pursuits. After all, we are all human and the holidays are made for celebrating!
