Enjoy the upcoming festivities without losing your fitness gains—or your mind!
Let’s be honest: The next few weeks can feel like anything but a celebration—especially when holiday planning and some hefty holiday meals threaten to undo months’ worth of sweat and healthy choices. According to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, the average American gains around one pound each holiday season. The problem is we don’t always take that pound off!
Don’t panic! You can get through this! Let’s visit some of the top excuses women give for losing sight of their fitness goals along with some solutions of how to handle them!
The Excuse
With all the holiday distractions, I’m not motivated to exercise.
The Solution
Make a realistic plan and be consistent. “We women lose focus on ourselves while we are trying to make everyone else happy,” says running coach Jenny Hadfield, co-author of Running for Mortals. Take time to set some concrete fitness goals for yourself during the holidays and share them with your family. Your best bet to stay motivated: Commit to a goal! Giving an hour to a fitness class with friends twice a week can be a great form of stress relief. It is also a great way to be held accountable and have fun in the process! Your goal could also be signing up for a Turkey Trot or Jingle Bell Jog. Holiday races have a fun vibe and are often family friendly. In addition, registration fees often benefit charities which can help you feel better about plunking down all those dollars shopping at the mall. In addition to working on your goal, give yourself some variety. Variety gives you motivation! Take a new class just to mix it up a bit!
The Excuse
I can’t stick to an exercise routine because of all my holiday travel.
The Solution
Be flexible and think ahead. That could be as easy as committing to sightseeing on a walk where you are visiting, finding a fitness program you can take on your travels or hiring a trainer to design a home/travel program to fit your personal needs and goals!
The Excuse
I can’t resist huge holiday meals.
The Solution
Cut yourself some slack, but be smart. The Holidays are about maintaining weight, not losing! You work hard, so allow yourself to enjoy some holiday meals. “A handful of days won’t set you back. It is continuously snacking on cookies that’s a problem,” says triathlon and running coach Matt Fitzgerald. If you are watching your calories, have a plan before you indulge. “Pick what foods you want to splurge on ahead of time,” Fitzgerald says. In other words, don’t waste your time on the green bean casserole if what you really want is the mashed potatoes with gravy. Or take a different approach and have a small bite of everything.
The Excuse
I can’t find the time to exercise.
The Solution
Get up early and/or enlist group support. Set your alarm early enough to get in some exercise and have a nutritious breakfast before everyone else is up and about. Of course there will be times when the best plan doesn’t pan out. In those cases, just keep moving! Even if it is 20 or 30 minutes compared to the hour you could have had if your plan had been implemented. That way you won’t be too far behind when you get back to your regular schedule! Having a pal or a couple of friends to workout with gives you the accountability you may need to stay on track. You are less likely to over sleep an early morning workout if you have someone to meet!
The Excuse
With all these treats and goodies around, I’m constantly snacking.
The Solution
Control your inner cookie monster. While a few holiday meals won’t set you back, constant snacking can be dangerous. “Budgeting your calories is no different than budgeting your money for the holidays,” Hadfield says. This is when a food journal can be handy. There are several free online journals that allow you to track your daily physical activity and calories. Examples include: myfitnesspal.com and fatsecret.com. It can also be as easy as keeping your own notebook. Sometimes just knowing that you are recording your daily food intake helps you make better choices!
We are all familiar with the excuses listed! Hopefully the above strategies will help you enter the next few weeks with a proactive mindset that will put you in the festive holiday mood all the way through! I know you can do it!
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