Staying On Track
The holidays are coming and for MANY people, this means a TOTAL deviation from their norm. Even though the “holidays” themselves only encompass a few days of the year, the relaxed attitude of the season can often slip itself into your everyday life. Too many people just resolve to “start back at it” once the New Year comes because “what’s the point” if you already strayed from your diet or exercise routine.
So, instead, I want you to picture this. You get a brand-new iPhone and accidentally drop it and get a small crack in your screen. Would you then go and smash the whole screen just because, “oh well”, you already had a small crack? If you got a drip of coffee on your white shirt, would you then pour the whole cup down the front just because “oh well” you already had a stain? If you dropped $5 out of your wallet, would you then make it rain dollar bills because “oh well” you already lost some money? These analogies are hilarious and we could come up with a million more, but the point is… THIS IS THE ATTITUDE THAT PEOPLE ADOPT ABOUT DIET AND EXERCISE! If I already made a bad choice, what’s 150 more bad choices… I’ll just correct it all in the New Year!
Now imagine this…. You enter the year ALREADY motivated! You enter the New Year only 2 lbs. heavier than usual, instead of 10! You enter the New Year with a pretty solid gym routine! Imagine how much easier your goals will be to achieve if you haven’t fallen 100 feet off the wagon! THIS is what we hope for you all this holiday season. We completely understand that this time of the year is crazy and we WANT you to enjoy it and indulge when you want to… we just want you to be mindful the rest of the time and resist the urge to throw away a year’s worth of progress!
We realize that this may seem easier said than done, so here are a few strategies to keep in mind as you enter this season to try to keep yourself on track!
For your diet:
Keep as close to your regular routine as possible.
If you know you have a party or gathering that night, don’t just count the WHOLE DAY as a wash. Eat your regular breakfast and lunch, stay hydrated and go into the night ready to have some fun and let yourself off the hook.
DO NOT skip meals to create a “calorie deficit” for the day. If you head to a holiday party too hungry, you will end up consuming more than you would have otherwise and likely these will be bad choices, because everything will look 10 times yummier when you’re hungry!
On that same note… EAT BEFORE YOU GO! Have a protein shake or eat a piece of fruit or something sensible before you head out! This will keep you from inhaling all the appetizers when you arrive!
Bring something!
If you are afraid you’ll be too tempted by all the delicious food or desserts at your holiday party, bring something that fits in with your goals… Maybe a veggie platter as an appetizer or a fruit salad for dessert!
Finally, let yourself off the hook when you do indulge.
There is nothing worse than punishing yourself for straying from your diet and many times, this will lead you to more bad choices. Let it go, move on, and start the VERY NEXT DAY back on track!
For your workout routine:
Plan your whole week ahead of time.
If you know you have a busy and stressful week ahead, schedule your gym time the same way you would a doctor’s apt or meeting. Put it in pen and make yourself go, even if you are tired or stressed. Likely you will feel WAY better after you sweat it out!
Try out some odd hour classes.
While it may be out of the norm for you to workout at 5:30AM, this may be just what you need to stay on track. Getting up out of bed is the hard part, but once you’re up, it’s really all the same from there! You will feel accomplished and even PROUD that you’ve managed to fit it in!
For some of you, this may mean coming at night when you are used to getting your workout in first thing. Use this as an opportunity to meet some new people and experience a different environment than you usually get!
If all else fails, don’t underestimate the power of 20 minutes.
While it may not be as fun or rewarding to work out at home, a burpee will burn the same number of calories in the gym than it does in your living room. Commit to sweat for 20 minutes on days you can’t make it to the gym and your body will thank you! Try this at home workout when you are in a pinch!
