Fit for the holidays

Enjoying a special treat on Thanksgiving or Christmas is not going to derail your fitness and nutrition routine and goals if you plan ahead and be mindful of your approach. Indulge with caution and plan for success and you will survive the holiday season without sacrificing your health and nutrition and you will still be able to enjoy the holiday season with friends and family.

Here are some tips to stay on track over the holidays.

1. If you’ve already been working out and exercising, increase your workout intensity and stay on track with your nutrition plan. You’ll improve your fitness heading into the holidays, and you’ll ramp up your metabolism in case you miss a workout or cave to some special foods. For fitness newbies, slowly increase your time and intensity of fitness sessions so as not to overwhelm your system and cause you to quit before you’ve really begun.

2. Always start your day off right with a glass of water and remember to include protein at breakfast. Start your day off right by “front loading” your nutrition; try not to load up on extra calories at breakfast, and save any holiday treats for later in the day.

3. Don’t give in to pressure. Load up on things like turkey, green beans (not casserole!) and salad. You will still be enjoying your dinner without making any nutrition sacrifices.

4. Find time to exercise even if you have to squeeze in just a 10-min interval circuit. This will help you stay on track with your fitness plan and help combat any holiday stress. Traveling over the holidays? Take some resistance bands with you, or focus on taking the stairs, or a walk around the block. This will also tie into the next tip of…

5. Get fresh air! Nothing boosts your adrenaline like some fresh air and nature! Just be sure to dress appropriately for the weather, and remember that even if you are not sweating, you still need to drink water during your winter workouts. Take a hike, go for a snowshoe trek, try cross-country skiing or alpine skiing, or just play outside with your kids. Do you want to build a snowman?

6. Get a friend or family member involved. Nothing helps you stay motivated more than a partner who can push you along the way. Motivate each other and stay accountable to someone other than that fitness tracking app on your phone!

Now I’m not going to tell you that it is going to be easy, or that you will be able to actually DROP pounds over the holidays. If you do, then congratulations! But these tips will help you stay on track and maintain your current level of health and fitness.

#janicekfitness