Staying On Track For the Holidays

 Hello Fit Fam,

    We all find ourselves wanting to start again after the holidays. We get caught up in family time, travel, and letting loose a little. It doesn't mean we aren't still focused on our goals, it just means we have gotten distracted. Holidays are a time to celebrate and we shouldn't avoid that or feel miserable during a joyful time, we just have to find a way to make our goals and the "guilty pleasures" of the holidays work together! We need to make them fit!

    So as you recover from Thanksgiving and move into the slew of Christmas, Hanukkah,  Kwanza, New Year, and any others I might be forgetting: Make a plan! How are you going to stick with your goals (workouts, nutrition, sleep, etc.) while still enjoying yourself? It isn't always easy and sometimes we have to make compromises with ourselves. For example; if you know you are going to a holiday party make sure to plan your day's nutrition. I have three main tips for surviving the holiday distractions that might take away from your overall health and wellness goals.

    1) Prioritize your workouts! If you know you will travel, find days leading up to the travel to get that extra workout or two in before flying, driving, or whatever mode of transportation you plan to take. I personally like to load up the few days prior to my travel days. I also bring workout clothes and prepare for either bodyweight exercises or running when traveling to see family as those can be done in most places with limited or no equipment! You might even have access to a facility through a family member or friend. You do not have to work out every day but even taking a walk with loved ones can keep you on track with your workout plan and get your family moving too!

    2) Track your food intake! One meal does not make or break your diet or derail your fitness progress, I say this with a grain of salt! What does hurt you is eating unhealthy multiple days in a row. Eating unhealthy is such a broad term because we all need food and our bodies respond to food in different ways. Some are better at metabolizing fats, and some carbohydrates, but both are essentials to your body's overall function. You also respond differently to food based on your energy demands. All of this is to say if you are sitting on your butt for multiple days and not expending additional energy then your body won't utilize any extra calories you consume. So finding the right amount of calories alongside the right types of nutrients is what will keep you on track to a healthy diet! Make a plan and adjust when needed, but try to stick to it!

    3) Take time for yourself over the holidays. We often make all these plans for travel and visiting with family which is very important but it is also important to find time for you. I learned in the last year to prioritize myself at least once if not more times a week. This has helped my mental health tremendously. Prioritizing yourself can look a lot of ways and doesn't have to take a lot of time. You can take 5-10 minutes for mindfulness, schedule a massage, get your nails done, go for walk, or read a book, it really doesn't matter as long as it makes you happy!

    So as you prepare for Christmas and New Year make your plans now. Figure out what your training needs to look like, and take some time to get your nutrition on track to meet your training goals, lastly plan time for yourself. Being a little selfish is important to be the best version of yourself. The best version of you is going to reach your fitness goals sooner!

Stay Calm And Exercise On

~ Liz ~