Is Thanksgiving really tomorrow? How is that even possible? It definitely feels like the holidays have snuck up, but get ready babes, because the season filled with parties, festive food and cocktails is here! Rather than stressing about how much it’s going to throw off your fitness and nutrition and how much weight you’ll gain before New Years, I’ve got 5 REAL (read do-able, realistic, simple) things you can do to keep up with your workouts, stay on track with your nutrition and enjoy the holiday season without completely losing your healthy lifestyle or your mind!
5 (REAL) WAYS TO STAY FIT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
1. STICKING TO A CONSISTENT WORKOUT SCHEDULE
By consistent, I do not mean spending hours in the gym every day. Figure out a reasonable amount of time (ie. at least 30 minutes a day / 5 days a week) and commit to making those workouts happen through New Years. You will be amazed at how much healthier you look and feel. Choose workouts you love and get excited for the chance to move your body. It’s not about “un-doing” the caloric damage from the night before, it’s about feeling fit and strong and enjoying your time in the gym! Dedicate that little bit of time and get those daily workouts in…such a simple way to maintain your fitness and stay focused!
2. LIMITING THE EVENTS AND PARTIES YOU SAY “YES” TO
I was listening to a podcast a while ago that talked about establishing an internal rating system of 1-5 for events and parties. With “1” being not interested at all and “5” being extremely interested. I’m telling you babes, using this system has been such a game changer. It helps you gauge how important the event or party really is to you and also gives you perspective on whether or not you are going out of obligation or desire. Only RSVP “yes” to 4’s and 5’s…save the cocktails, calories and lack of sleep for the events and parties you really want to attend. When you aren’t trying to go to every gathering you get invited to, you’ll feel less overwhelmed and over-scheduled. Plus you’ll be more excited about going out and have more fun at the events you choose to go to!
3. A 2:1 OR 1:1 WATER:COCKTAIL RATIO
I got a message on Sunday from a client who used this strategy at her Friendsgiving over the weekend. I loved hearing that “not only did it help me pace myself, but I was not hung over at all today. And I worked out yesterday and today.” It’s crazy what a difference something as simple as drinking a glass of water between cocktails can make. We all know the benefits of staying hydrated and making sure you’re drinking as much if not more water than cocktails when you are out, not only will you save yourself the calories from the extra drinks, you’ll also sleep better, make healthier food choices at the party and be more likely to work out the next day.
4. INDULGING WISELY
Staying fit over the holidays doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself though! Being a little more mindful about your indulgences allows you to enjoy your favorite treats without throwing off your fitness. So, how do you up your “treat yo’self” game? First, only indulge in the things that are really worth it. If your family makes something you dream about, go ahead and have some when you get together, but if there is a sub par potluck at work, pass on it. I also love using the “3 Bite Rule” or cutting something I want to try into fourths and sharing it. With the “3 Bite Rule”, you get a nice little taste of something you want to try without going overboard and feeling yucky the next day. Same with cutting treats into fourths and sharing. You get to indulge a little, without all the calories that add up to holiday season weight gain.
5. STAYING SANE
This one is HUGE babes! You can’t stay fit over the holiday season if you are super stressed out, tired and run down. Everything else we talked about will absolutely help and contribute to feeling more energetic and less stressed over the holidays, but taking it one step further and and doing something specific to de-stress is so important. I’m such a believer in the benefits of a daily meditation practice and it truly does not get more simple than 5-10 minutes a day. Not sure where to get started, Gabby Bernstein offers some of my favorite guided meditations. There are some available on iTunes: Gabrielle Bernstein Meditations + Spirit Junkie Guided Meditations. She also has a ton of guided meditation videos on her website. I’ve also been using the Meditation Studio App and really like it. You can choose from guided meditations or background music. You can set the duration as well as if you would like chimes or gong or whatever at the end or during certain points. It’s an awesome app. If meditation is not your thing, figure out something you can do for a few minutes a day to connect to yourself!
What do you think babes? Pretty simple, do-able and realistic? I think so! Hopefully to do too! Give these 5 things a try and I promise you’re going to look and feel amazing ringing in the New Year! xo
