With the extensive preparations for food, decor, and family, it can be easy to lose sight of your fitness routine. But that doesn’t mean you should abandon fitness entirely! After all, champions never lose sight of the end goal. Here are a few tips from us to you as a New Year’s gift so you can keep your fitness routine intact while being able to enjoy all the festivities!
Schedule Your Workouts
Spare yourself 15 minutes before indulging with your family and plan your workouts for the upcoming week. By writing your workouts into your schedule, you’ll be more likely to regard it as sacred time and actually do the workout. We know life doesn’t work as planned on most occasions, so you could be flexible and make adjustments to your routine as soon as you know things are about to pop up. This also lets you create a back-up plan for those busy days. Be safe, not sorry.
Put Exercise First
If your schedule is as unpredictable as the Irish weather, then the best alternative is to get the workout done first thing in the morning. Not only does this practice guarantee that the temper tantrum your little one throws doesn’t disrupt your exercise, but studies have shown that working out in the morning may have unexpected benefits (hint: lose more fat!).
Also, devoting half an hour each day could help you fight food cravings throughout the day.
Squeeze in Mini-Workouts
We understand that holidays are a time to relax, and you probably can’t exercise every day. Or even if you could, the routine wouldn’t be as robust as usual. A mini-workout is the best option, as it is like a hot and spicy hors d’oeuvre for your body. These short-bursts can easily be incorporated throughout the day, whether by you taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking around the block twice the length with your beautiful family dog.
The other good thing about these short bursts is that they’re backed by science — walking just over a mile a day may be enough to maintain your weight during this testing period.
Take Advantage of the Holiday Season
If you’ve been thinking of joining a gym to take your fitness to the next level, the holidays are as good a time as any other. Apart from discounts on memberships and various classes, you could exercise (we had to) the luck O’ the Irish and coast on free trials competing fitness centers might offer you. It’s a great way to get through the month on minimal cost, as well as check out which gym is the best fit for your workout style.
Cheat Day not Cheat Season
It’s not easy to stop yourself from going full-speed when your drunk uncle challenges you to a drink-off, but it is always good to not overindulge on treats and alcohol alike. Allowing yourself too many ‘treats’ during the season often ends up with you turning those ‘treats’ into staples. The easiest way to stop yourself from getting carried away is to donate leftovers once the season is over. The more you let them linger around, the harder it is to avoid eating them, jeopardizing all the precautions you took during the season!
Practice Walking Away
The phrase ‘you can’t out-train a bad diet’ is as old as exercise itself. And you’d think that implementing this rule in your lifestyle is as simple as the saying. However, this could be one of the hardest exercises you will have to do. Simply walk away from the table once you feel full, and remind yourself that this rule is more psychological than physical. It’s a battle of you against you — we hope you come out on top.
Looking for more solid advice on nutrition, workouts, and general health? Look no further, call the experts at Bodyscene to book a consultation session today! 086 3732460
