The holidays are nearly here! For many of us, fall and winter bring with them a whirlwind of activities with family and friends. But the cooler temperatures, darker days and easy access to rich holiday meals and treats – starting with Halloween candy, followed by heavy Thanksgiving dinners, then Christmas party nibbles, more holiday dinners and a house full of leftovers – can end up knocking the stuffing out of our fitness plans!
But you don’t have to let all of the holiday trimmings keep you from staying on top of your health and fitness goals! In the spirit of the holiday season, we want to gift you a guide of quick tips to keep up your fitness resolutions as we head into the holiday season.
Give yourself the gift of time. Find a way to take a breather for yourself everyday. You may not be able to carve out an hour to work out, but definitely make the time to take a walk. You might prefer to read a book or just spend a few minutes relaxing, but remember that the time you spend taking care of yourself will keep you in tip-top shape to take care of your loved ones.
Don’t set unrealistic fitness goals. Yes, it’s really okay to cut back on the amount of time you spend at the gym if you’re busy with holiday plans and responsibilities. The key is to maintain your fitness program and not let it go by the wayside altogether! For example, if you aim for 20 minutes a day of exercise instead of an hour, you’re less likely to give up and beat yourself up about it later.
De-stress by giving yourself permission to be imperfect. Did you have that slice of pie you promised yourself you would avoid? No worries! Feeling guilty only leads to an “I’ll start again tomorrow – right after I binge eat all of my favorite treats” mindset. Instead, allow yourself a small portion of your favorite foods. But don’t waste your calories on anything you don’t absolutely love!
Slow down. Spread out your meals. You don’t have to eat everything at once. Try savoring each bite and the conversation. Sometimes a bite or two is enough to leave you satisfied, and eating slowly helps you realize when you’re full before you overeat.
Celebrate with new traditions. What if instead of throwing that party with the fudge, egg nog and cheesecake, you decided to get everyone together to do something festive and active – like ice skating? You could also snow shoe along the Jordan River Parkway or shoot hoops at the Murray Park Center! The possibilities are endless. All you have to do is find fun ways to be active with the people you love instead of all the mindless eating followed by time on the couch in front of the television.
Need more inspiration? Check out this article with 10 Tips for Surviving the Holidays, then head on over to this article with more diet and fitness holiday survival tips!