While the tables of soft cookies and visions of delicate sugar plums fill all of our heads, it’s easy to succumb to factors that negate your current fitness regime. Not to mention, this time of year is around the time when everyone throws in the towel and waits to wipe that sweat off their brow until after New Year’s – you know, those well-known resolutions we all tend to make to give us a minor but seemingly effective boost in our hope tank. Although, do not be discouraged by the hauntings of unhealthy foods and lazy attitudes because you can be proactive and do something about it all!
To stay fit during the holidays, I mainly attribute my motivation to the way it makes me feel. Every time I work out, I feel an instant natural high. For anyone who has ever finished a strenuous workout and felt the sweat on your back and the breeze on your neck that cools you off, then you know the satisfaction I am talking about. There’s no denying that working out feels great. I will concede that it is a bit of a process to get to the gym or get on your yoga mat, but after you cross that initial hump of laziness, the results are amazing and a downfall effect happens where you just get healthier and healthier as the day proceeds. So, a few concrete tips for you to get you moving along are as follows:
1) Wake up early with the intent to work out before breakfast
Now nothing can get in the way as an excuse to your fitness. Remember, you should always come first in your own life.
2) Plan your workout the night before
3) Plan a cute outfit you can wear to your workout to keep you motivated even more.
4) Don’t worry about what fitness state you are in now
Think of what you will become if you stick to this new routine through the holidays to keep that physique all through winter to summer!
5) Think of healthy as a lifestyle
A lifestyle where you feel awake, vibrant, happy, fit and confident, not sluggish or bloated.
6) It’s all a mental game
Get past the urge to sleep and go on your phone. Trust me, you’ll be happy you got up.
7) Start with resistance training every other day and strength training twice a day and one day of cardio on the weekend.
This is my exact fitness strategy. It works well for me to maintain a lean, toned body. If you don’t know what resistance training it, it is a short 25-minute exercise routine that is either focused on abs, legs/butt or arms. Typically, Monday, Wednesday and Friday I’ll do four sets of four exercises in each set of abs and arms. On Tuesday and Thursday I’ll maybe start off with a 10-minute warmup run on the treadmill or track and then focus on strength training my butt with four sets of four exercises (about 10 reps for each exercise) with a one minute rest in between. Separating your workouts like this is more effective because it allows your body to recover and form muscle in between the days.
8) De-stress with yoga and meditation.
It is a truly amazing feeling to breathe and remember you have every right to be flexible in the way you think, so try it out. It makes you more aware of your body and when you’re aware of your body, you’ll be more inclined to keep it fit!
9) Enjoy the holidays and establish an eating regime before Christmas dinner!
I like to maintain a high-fat, high-protein diet with almost no sugar besides two or three pieces of fruit on its own a day with maybe a sweet potato with dinner. Eating Paleo-based means I don’t eat grains or pasta because these typically make you feel bloated and craving for more sugar. How I set up my meals is having half my plate with vegetables and the other half with some type of protein, whether it be salmon, fish of any sort, chicken (grilled), steak or pork, and I try to stay away from dairy for my skin’s sake. We all want glowing skin too right?
I’ve given you a few ways to stay on track but don’t forget it all starts with a simple choice. What do you want? Look within yourself. Do you strive to be fit? Or are you comparing yourself to others and waiting to be something you’ll never be if you don’t try? Don’t fail by not trying, be proactive and work for that body right now!