All fitness-conscious people always think about fitness during the holiday season. And the question that always pops up in their mind is, “how to make it easy to stay on track with your fitness goals.”
Especially when spending time with loved ones, having fun parties, and the start of a new year? Or are you more concerned about self-sabotaging all your progress from months of working out and healthy eating?
The holidays are already stressful, but not staying on track with your fitness goals can make it more challenging. It’s no surprise that weight gain, and even weight loss, are typical for some people during the holidays. Holidays are not about depriving yourself. Do whatever you want, but don’t restrict yourself.
So, Take a look at these tips to help you stay on track with your fitness goals without demonizing the spirit of the holidays!
10 Ways To Stay On Track With Your Healthy Goals
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Here are some ways I’ve learned to help stay on track during the holidays over the years!
1. Set A Small Goal
It’s great to see and feel progress. Just make sure your goals are concrete and near-term. Decide how many pounds you want to lose in one month and how to maintain your body without losing much weight.
There’s a lot of running around this time of the year. This can wear you out pretty quickly, so expecting yourself to do an hour-long workout is often unrealistic when you have little to no stamina. In this case, the best thing you can do for your health and wellness is to set smaller fitness goals to avoid severe burnout.
Some people shorten the length of their workouts to under 30 minutes by doing circuit training, HIIT, or even superset workouts. Consider splitting your activities so you can target multiple areas in a single routine and save some time.
It’s okay to alter your original fitness goals to accommodate them for the holidays. You don’t need to stress yourself more by setting the bar too high.
2. Schedule Your Workout
It’s challenging to stick to a diet and exercise routine during the holiday season, with family dinners, shopping, and office holiday parties. It’s one of the first things we’re willing to give up to make room for other activities. It is, however, possible to complete all your tasks, have fun, and maintain your healthy lifestyle. All it takes is a little extra thought.
Mark in your calendar all the social events you plan on attending and build your workout schedule around them. You’ll have a better chance of staying consistent if you’ve planned out your days as much as possible. Make sure to schedule time for the following:
- Cardio
- Upper body
- Lower body
- Abs/Core
3. Setup Gym In your Home
If you’re pressed for time and can’t go to your regular gym, a mini-home gym may be the right choice. You don’t need a super professional setup for a great home workout. You can do hundreds of exercise variations with dumbbells, a workout bench, and resistance bands. A variety of at-home workout routines can also be found on YouTube by online fitness creators.
4. Plan proper Meals
Keep high-calorie, high-fat foods to a minimum, and keep an eye out for dessert. Remember to include some vegetables on your plate. Instead of another helping of stuffing or macaroni and cheese, add another serving of green beans or salad. Portion size is just as important as the food you eat. It’s easy to overdo it on the sugary treats if you’re not careful, but it’s better to enjoy rather than restrict – so watch your portions.
5. Drinking Lots of Water
Drinking water also keeps you fuller between meals so that you won’t be as tempted to snack throughout the day. When you’re constantly on the go or going to another party, it’s easy to forget to stay hydrated. Furthermore, you may be consuming more alcoholic beverages than usual. When was the last time you went out for the holidays with friends, family, or coworkers and had no alcohol in sight? Drink a glass of water between each drink and keep track of your intake. Bring a reusable water bottle with you to refill it throughout the day. Alcoholic beverages are high in empty calories and sugars.
6. Find a Healthy Balance
The golden rule! And try to follow it. The 80/20 rule – eating healthy 80% of the time but also allowing some room for treats (20%) on the weekends! When it comes to tailgates and events, try to limit alcoholic beverages.
7. Get Lots of Sleep
Whenever you think of the holidays, you immediately think about the cold and flu season — the worst! You have learned that as long as you get 8 hours of sleep, you can keep from getting sick!
8. Make Exercise Fun
The best exercise is an exercise you enjoy. Ask yourself in your spare time. Here are some possibilities:
- Walking and window shopping
- Playing trivia games with your exercise partner
- Volleyball
- Hiking in the forest
- Playing soccer with your children or grandchildren
- Zumba dancing lessons
9. Turn off Your Mind
At 5 a.m., you don’t want to be thinking about where your gym shorts are. The night before, lay out your gear – shorts, shoes, and all. Or, if you’re exercising later in the day, pack your gym bag the night before. By doing this, you will avoid one major hurdle each day.
Similarly, have an alternate exercise routine if you wake up in stormy weather.
10. Turn On Your Soul
You cannot imagine life without exercise. Make it your “food of religion.” To “get” religion, clarify your values. Ask yourself: “What do I value about myself and my future? What am I looking forward to?” Dancing at your grandchildren’s weddings? Skiing until you’re 100? Taking a year-long RV trip?
Reason Why You Should Exercise While Holiday
Here are seven reasons to exercise during the holidays:
- The best time to manage your calories properly
- Exercise helps to reduce holiday stress
- If you want to prevent detraining, you must go for training daily.
- You can make a schedule for a complete diet structure
- 30 mints walk daily gives you extra energy over the holidays
- A 30 to 40 minutes morning or evening walk will help to eliminate anxiety and depression issues.
