The holiday season is notorious for causing even the fittest of us to gain a few pounds. Between Thanksgiving turkey, marshmallow-ed sweet potatoes, holiday ham, and all that dessert, maintaining a solid health and fitness strategy is definitely a challenge.
We absolutely believe that you should enjoy the holidays and your time with family and friends. However, we can provide you with some strategies to indulge in moderation and do your best to avoid derailing all the work you’ve done in the gym all year long. These 4 tips will help you get through the holidays in the fittest way possible, and make it just a little bit easier to get back on track once all the celebrations are over…
- Exercise the morning of your event
- Whatever event you have, whether it’s Christmas Day, Hanukkah, or a work party, make a point of getting up and exercising that morning. Have a normal day before you go. Do your workout, eat a good breakfast… make sure you don’t starve yourself all day to “save room” for the goodies. If you’ve started the day in a healthy and fit way, that should carry through the rest of your afternoon and evening.
- Plan a workout for the day after
- Similarly, if you know you have a workout planned the next morning you’ll be less likely to overindulge – especially on the late night treats like desserts and drinks. Plan a workout WITH someone to keep you accountable, maybe a family member or friend that you rarely see so you can get some extra time together.
- Don’t sit the whole time, get up and move around between courses
- Not only does moving around help your metabolism work more quickly, the hosts always appreciate a little extra help with the dishes in between courses. Don’t be the one who sits at the table and waits for the next round of food. Get up, mingle, help, play with the kids, just find something to do that will allow you to move around a little throughout the night.
- Don’t try to out-exercise the extra calories you’re going to eat
- This is a tough one… it’s so tempting to try to do extra workouts and be super intense before and after big holiday events. It’s important to stick to your normal workout routine and think about the holidays as just a small bump in the road. Eating foods you normally wouldn’t eat just throws your body a curveball, something new that it has to adapt to. Try to get back to your regular workout routine as soon as possible rather than exercising away the extra calories – it doesn’t work anyways! 😉
The holiday season is a time for friends, family, vacation, relaxation, love, and gratitude. Take full advantage – this time only comes around once a year. Just try to avoid falling completely off the fitness train throughout the season. Stay moving, plan your workouts, and contact Genesis Performance and Fitness if you’re looking for a personal trainer in Thousand Oaks to help you make it through the holidays in the healthiest way possible!
