Holidays are here with busy schedules of social gatherings and celebrations. This time of year can make keeping your fitness routine and clean eating habits seem much more difficult. Even the most disciplined people can find it difficult to stick to their health and fitness routines during the holiday season.
While the holidays may be the hardest time of year to maintain your fitness goals and stick to your training routine, having a plan along with maintaining your mindset will make all the difference. Remember that being healthy is your lifestyle, not your New Year’s resolution.
Here are some ways to keep yourself on track this time of year.
Maintain a Healthy Mindset
This time of year is meant to enjoy the holidays, but too many of us lose sight of that and spend a lot of time beating ourselves up for celebrating after the fact.
Enjoying seasonal goodies and a few cocktails is OK. So let go of those feelings of guilt, but remind yourself that you have control. Keep a handle on your mindset to make smart choices, while still keeping your fitness goals a priority.
Keep Stress in Check
Holidays can take a toll and add to stress. As a result poor choices, stress eating and physical tension begin to happen. Using some calming tools like meditation, breathing or taking a walk to decompress can play a positive effect on lowering that stress level.
Don’t Cave on Your Eating Habits
With all the yummy foods, sweets and cocktails around, you might find yourself overdoing it and overindulging in the moment, letting go of self control. Remember these next few months have nothing to do with changing or neglecting your health and wellness.
Don’t give up or give in to so much of the holiday temptation.
Get Enough Sleep
We tend to spread ourselves thin this time of year. Staying up later than we normally do, keeping up with work and daily life responsibilities while also meeting the season’s demands. It’s crucial that you give your body and mind the time and rest needed to recover each night.
Sleep is a key factor in the function of your metabolism and immune system. A constant lack of sleep can lead to weight gain, easier to catch illnesses and develop brain fog.
Plan Ahead
Planning is the best way to make sure you don’t lose track of your goals. Schedule your training sessions on a Sunday for the week and note them in your schedule to assure they are a part of your day. There are plenty of options for working out at home if you can’t fit in time to go to the gym. If your schedule keeps you from the gym, do a short bodyweight session.
Remember, even a short session is better than none.
Ashley LaMorte is a nationally certified fitness instructor and has been in the fitness industry close to a decade. Over the years she has gotten the opportunity to instruct group X boot camps at gyms and train private clients from all walks of life, all over the Bay Area. She now has her own mobile fitness business, LaMorte Lift. Learn more at LaMorteLift.com.
