general well being
CHRISTMAS PROOF YOUR FITNESS
A practical guide to help you keep exercising through the holiday period and keep the weight off
I love Christmas. Good company, good food and gifts. Its also a very busy time. Sydney speeds up in the lead up to Christmas which is no easy task considering we usually run at breakneck speed on any other given day. Once the shopping is all done, the gifts are all given, and Xmas lunch is over, we just sit back and relax. The aftermath of Christmas is so relaxing, which is great, but not so good if you are trying to keep up an exercise routine or trying to lose weight. Studies show that on an average we can gain up to 2 kilos during this 4 week period. Ahhhhhhhh! It doesn’t have to be so scary. In this article I will give you some practical tips on how to get through the holidays with minimum damage.
Plan your exercise
Unless you are a hard core athlete and training for a specific event, it is important to acknowledge that this is one of the busiest times of the year and schedule yourself some breaks over the 2 to 4 week holiday period. The all or nothing approach to exercise is a little old school and any good routine will schedule space for fun and relaxation. Just make sure the fun doesn’t last for 2 months and “Mark on the calendar” when you “intend” to get back on the wagon
Just get it done
Will I or wont I? This is the mental game your mind plays when trying to decide if you should exercise. Don’t let it happen. If you give your mind enough time to ponder this thought it is inevitable that it will convince you not to exercise. Because until your brain learns to love exercise (and this does happen) it will choose the easy way out. So don’t think. Just get it done. No excuses.
It’s too hot!
Oh yes it is! Its summer, of course it’s hot. That is no excuse to not exercise. Head to the gym. I am obviously a gym goer myself J but its good advice anyway. The gym is air-conditioned, safe and comfortable. Check the Christmas trading hours and incorporate that into your plan. You can run, walk, cycle, pump iron, be sociable (or not) in Group fitness classes and just get it done. One more excuse gone!
I missed a workout = guilt – NOT!
So you have your plan, and yet you still managed to miss a workout. Sometimes even the most well thought out plans experience a hiccup here and there. This is where your mind usually starts to feel guilty. STOP IT! You’re human, life happens. Take it in your stride and move on. Chances are you will make it up somewhere along the line. Work out a little harder next time. Throw in an extra workout when things ease up. It’s not the end of the world, it’s a missed workout. Just don’t make it a habit.
Try and eat well
Christmas parties, Christmas lunch, dinner etc ……Tempting food is everywhere. Ask yourself, is it practical to expect to lose weight over the holiday period? I would say, it’s probably a good idea to set yourself a goal of maintaining your weight rather than losing it. So eat sensibly. And following on from the tip above- give yourself a break and bin the guilt. Before you eat, ask yourself if you really want that extra serving of potatoes or that chocolate. If you do, then eat it. And don’t beat yourself up about it. Enjoy! Just keep the extras to a minimum, and make sure you follow your exercise plan.
So there you have it. A practical guide to getting through the holiday period virtually unscathed. Remember, the most important thing to do over the holiday period is to plan and keep it real.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS From the team at Lifestyle Fitness Australia