I can easily bombard you with a list filled with many more than 3 simple strategies for a healthier holiday season this year but these simple steps will help you, not only feel healthier this holiday season, but will enable you to get more fulfillment out of your time spent with friends and family.
The last two months of the year don’t need to be a setback to your fitness goals. In fact, when you plan accordingly, this part of the year should breathe life into your broader sense of health and wellness.
1. Exercise Before Big Holiday Meals
The cascade of physiological changes that occur after a meal can swing wildly depending on what occurred before that meal. It is rare, albeit not impossible, to gain fat while sore from vigorous exercise. If you know your schedule is going to get crazy as the day continues on, it is best to try to wedge exercise in first thing in the morning.
At my house one of the only piece of training equipment that I have is a 80-pound kettlebell. If I’m in a real time pinch I’ll simply try to bang out 75 repetitions of kettlebell swings as fast as possible (AFAP) and in as few sets as possible (AFSAP). For most, a kettlebell much lighter than 80 lb. would do the trick on a set like this. Just make sure you have your form dialed in on something as intricate and precise as a kettlebell swing. This little conditioning set is super demanding and I can have it wrapped up (holiday pun) in under 10 minutes.
If you’re traveling consider dropping in at a local gym, running some sprints at a local track, or running a 5k on a route that you’ve either discovered online or mapped out yourself.
Not only will your holiday feast be more directed towards muscle repair and recovery, but you’ll be more alert and attentive at your holiday parties.
2. Practice Self Control
A big reason that the holidays set people back so far on their path towards improved health and fitness is because they have an expectation that the holiday season is going to inevitably set them back–it doesn’t have to be that way.
Do you really need seconds at your holiday dinner? Probably not.
And you definitely don’t need seconds at the dessert table.
Stay alert to typical holiday pitfalls like excessive desserts, slamming shots, inactivity, and stress. You may not be able to avoid all of these, but by staying in control you can ensure that come January 1st you aren’t digging yourself out of a holiday hole.
3. Create New Traditions
Holiday traditions don’t need to be unhealthy and sedentary. Consider creating new traditions to add to your family’s schedule that center around your values.
Every year, my family does a Christmas Day Hike. The route is always different depending on conditions and our schedule. But year-in and year-out you can expect to find us hiking a trail Christmas Day.
Similarly, I play football on Thanksgiving with a group of guys that I typically only see on thanksgiving for our football game. I’m not particularly suited for football, but its an opportunity to move in ways that I don’t typically move and has the additional benefit of ensuring up and ready on thanksgiving and that I’m not out getting into trouble on Thanksgiving-eve.
Your new healthy tradition could be a healthy dish that you serve with your holiday meals or a new meal altogether… Big Christmas Dinner? Maybe Christmas lunchtime salads are what you’re family needs to stave off the rolls, pie, and cookies for a few more hours.
Happy Healthy Holidays
You don’t need to fight tradition to ensure that your fitness is on track. At its best, the holiday season should align with your broader health and wellness goals. With a little planning and awareness, you should be able to spend the last few weeks of your year enjoying the company of friends and family without remorse or regret.
The more you can emphasize health and wellness, the less of a drag that the whole process actually becomes. Consistently prioritize your health by thinking about your diet and maintaining a workout schedule.
After all, the better your diet and exercise routines are, the more holiday seasons you’ll have to experience with your friends and family.
Just something to think about,
-John
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