Hey guys! Oh my gosh, I blinked and it was December 1st. I swear, this year has been a blur. When it comes to holiday fitness, December usually goes one of two ways for me.
Either the holiday hustle totally kicks my ass and I barely make it out alive, only doing a handful of workouts and my meal plan being non-existent. Or, I keep some element of balance and come into January feeling good and ready to tackle another big year.
Over the past few years, I’ve gone through many of the typical holiday fitness cycles. I bet you can relate to a couple of these.
- I MUST BE PERFECT Cycle: Trying to eat on point 90% of the time and do every workout = making everyone else in the house miserable, well, because I can’t enjoy, that means they can’t either, right? 🙄
- I CAN BALANCE IT ALL Cycle: Following my workout program to the T, but not focusing on my meal plan – just trying to balance it all = feeling like crap most days, because we all know you can’t out-work bad nutrition.
- SCREW IT Cycle: You know when you’ve been all over the place with your nutrition and workouts since the end of September, so you just say; “screw it”, I’ll eat whatever I want and try to squeeze in a few workouts each week. This is the worst cycle for me because I absolutely hate how I feel, and how my clothes fit.
- MINDFUL & LONG-TERM FOCUSED Cycle: This is the cycle I have found to be my sweet spot the past couple of years. I keep my long-term goals in sight, keep my fitness routine consistent, nutrition simple and don’t allow guilt to creep in when I enjoy the drink or treat at the many functions we end up at.
So, where are you? One of those hit home?
Tips to Conquer the Holiday Fitness Cycles
- Drink water – no mater what cycle you’re in, I am willing to bet you aren’t hitting your water goal. One of my favorite water tips is to get some fresh lemon in there, green tea, whatever it takes to stay hydrated! Ps. this also helps you stay fuller, so less snacking and empty calories are sneaking into your day.
- Consistency is your friend. If you’re somewhere between I CAN BALANCE IT ALL and SCREW IT, this is is your ticket to get it together so you’re not feeling like you’re at square one on January 1. Just start with getting workouts back on track, even at 20 minutes a day you’re going to feel better. Let nutrition follow, one meal at a time, be intentional will making the best choices you can each day.
- Stop trying to be perfect. Just chill out. This is experience speaking my friends. It’s nearly impossible to be perfect when it’s not the holiday’s. So why in the world would you want to stress yourself and out, make your family miserable and not have a lick of fun throughout the most amazing time of year? Okay, now that we have that out of the way, go enjoy yourself and your family!
- Don’t Stop a Good Thing! If you are in the Mindful & Long-Term zone, then you’re right where you want to me. If you need to have a more flexible approach to your meal plan, check out 2B Mindset. I love how I never feel deprived on this plan and it pairs with any workout.
- Enjoy Your Workout. My last tip for you is to enjoy your workout! If you’re in the middle of an exercise program that’s just not doing it for you, take a break and go back to something you love. Take a class! Whether it’s hot Pilates or you want to check out the gym in your neighborhood, being around people is good for the soul!
Have a tip of your own that’s tried and true? Drop me a comment so I can share it on my social feed!
xo, Tiff