BRACE YOURSELVES, HOLIDAY MADNESS IS COMING

HERE IS A BRIEF GUIDE FOR SURVIVAL!!!

You have been working on your fitness goals, learning, prepping meals, getting used to a workout being part of your routine. It is starting to bring results and you are beginning to ease into this way of life. Then, with horror, you look at the calendar, and realize that the holiday season is here!!! That means tons of people that want you at parties, food everywhere, cookies everywhere, shopping to be done, presents to wrap, and insert here any other time consuming, discipline breaking, calorically ghastly, merry time holiday activities!!! You feel a pang of guilt, because you do want to enjoy these times with your family and friends, but deep inside you know that using these months as an excuse to slack of is pretty weak!!! What to do?

Here is a list of tactics that works! I DIVIDE THEM LIKE THIS

MENTAL


Realize that is only a preconceived notion that your life has to change so drastically during holidays. In reality, nothing terrible will happen if you lower your expectations and continue your life, making minor adjustments to attend some events.


Really look at these times as moments to reconnect with people, not with food! Nobody will hate you if you pass up on the cookies, or only have one serving of turkey!


If someone does try to make you feel guilty about not overindulging in food, honestly, call them out! Because that’s a shitty thing to do! Tell them you are immune to their guilt trip because you have goals, and if your relationship is based on sharing copious amounts of food, maybe the problem is right there and the entire relationship needs to be reconsidered. This might sound harsh to you, but I am not Willy Wonka, I don’t sugarcoat the crap!!


Keep your goals in mind, and remember how you felt before you started making healthier choices. It only takes a few bad meals and two weeks without physical activity to destroy a lot of gains.

STRATEGIC


Plan with more fervor than ever. Write out your tasks for the entire week and try to make your workouts as early as possible, since there are many more activities and things to accomplish later in the day.


Make sure that you have healthy options available for food. Either bring a meal with you, or at least eat it before you go to a party, so you will not be hungry when you get there.


Plan your cheat meals as well and make them count!!! If you know Aunt Martha makes the best pumpkin pie in the land, save your cheat meal for her party, don’t waste it on the office party and store bought cake! A little smart indulging goes a long way.


If you receive too many gifts of food that don’t really fit into your plan, you can always donate them to the needy.


Keep a log of activity and food intake to stay on track. Seeing it written down can help you keep from overindulging or under exercising.

PHYSICAL


As far as your workout go, plan to do more high intensity training, to burn more calories and keep your metabolism torching! If you do your own programing, look for effective HITT programs, or ask a trainer for help.


On that note, since time is off the essence, HITT training takes less time, so is a win-win.


Find the time to re-center and reconnect with your inner self every day, by meditating, stretching, a yoga class, or something else equally calming and low impact. Even a few minutes will help you feel more in control.


If you will travel, plan ahead. Find out about facilities in the vicinity of where you will stay. What always works for me is to get up before everyone else, escape to a nearby gym for an hour or two, and be back in time for breakfast.

Most important of all, don’t forget that you are in control. There is always a way to manage your situation. Don’t let the holiday fever wave overtake you and make you lose your sights. Because on January 1st we will all still wake up, another year will begin, regardless of how many pies you eat, how much champagne you drink, and how many presents are exchanged. Better to wake up feeling great, and not like you have to start from square one.

Enjoy responsibly and Happy Holidays!!!