As we head into the holiday season, we are often confronted with challenges to sticking to our fitness goals during this time. For many, progress attained during the past year tends to start slipping in the opposite direction. Some people even get so far off track that ultimately, they give up, only to make starting all over again their New Year’s resolution. The following suggestions can help you stay on track, avoid a relapse in your progress, while still enjoying the holiday festivities.
Being aware of your activity level is important during this time. Going into the colder months might mean your overall activity level has dropped. I found myself being much less active in the Fall/Winter than I was during the Spring/Summer months. Evaluate if you have become less active and if so, try to find ways to increase your activity level. It might also help to add in a new activity during this time. For example, if you are used to taking hikes and being outdoors when the weather is warmer, can you do the same during the colder months in some way? Or can you possibly take some exercise classes indoors during this time. Whatever you decide, find something you enjoy doing.
Holiday eating has always been an issue with many people, myself included. When confronted with events where the possibility of excess food and drink is involved, I have found it is necessary to create a plan on how to handle them. This means implementing some simple things, such as making sure you are not going to an event in a starved state, putting smaller portions on your plate, putting the fork down between bites, eating slower, chewing your food more, taking the time to really enjoy the food, being aware of your hunger and fullness, and focusing more on the social aspect of the event.
Throughout this time, if you miss a scheduled workout, eat or drink too much at an event, the important thing is to not judge yourself negatively or beat yourself up. These types of thoughts just tend to make the situation worse. Do not let one missed workout or one bad meal continue for multiple days and end up causing you to relapse in your plan. Instead, just move forward and get right back on track as quickly as possible.
Additionally, regardless of what happens, learn from these situations. Do not look at what you did as positive or negative. Rather, what did you do right, what could be improved upon, or what did you learn? Viewing the situation in this perspective can help you the next time.
The holidays are a great time to celebrate and to have fun with friends and family. They are meant to be enjoyed. Use these tips as a guide to help you enjoy this time as well as stay on track with your fitness goals right into the coming new year!
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