Well, I pretty much blinked and a month flew by, which means that the rest of the year is going to go even faster. I hope to sneak some more posts in before 2011 is done. Because time is going to quickly I have been thinking about how to stay motivated during the busy holiday months. Call me crazy, but this time of year is one of my favorite times to work out. With all the festivities to prepare for and celebrate it may seem impossible to find time to fit a workout in. I would have to disagree! Here are my 5 reasons to keep movin’ during the holiday season.
1. AVOID PLAYING CATCH UP
We’ve all done it – stopped working out, started eating twice the amount of calories we normally do and gained at least 5 pounds by the time January rolls around. It is fun while it lasts, but when the celebrating is over it becomes frustrating and discouraging to have to start over. November and December don’t need to be a time to try to lose weight, but if you just have a goal of maintaining where you are at you won’t have to play catch up in 2012.
2. KEEP YOUR MOOD IN CHECK
Although the season is full of joy, laughter and cheer, it can also equal to loads of stress. Why not sweat it out at the gym? I promise you will feel better, have more energy, and feel happier. I also find that as I am exercising I am able to sort my thoughts and make a plan of what I need to do to stay organized.
3. DON’T HIDE WHAT YOU’VE GOT
Fight the urge to cover up your holiday bloat with extra stretchy elastic pants. Throw out your big baggy sweaters and put on those skinny jeans. I find that if I wear clothes that are fitting and stylish I not only feel better, but am less tempted to overeat. For me the best indicator of how I am doing is not by a scale, but by the way my clothes feel on me. So, don’t put your jeans away for 2 months and then pull them out after the holidays. That can be torture! Keep wearing them and if they start feeling too tight you’ll know to be a little more careful.
4. USE A LITTLE POSITIVE PEER PRESSURE
Make it a family affair! No matter what holiday you celebrate you are hopefully blessed to be surrounded by family and friends this season. So, recruit them to help you stay active. I know one year our family ran in a “Turkey Trot” on Thanksgiving day. There’s always the classic “Turkey Bowl,” but have you played a game of kick ball lately? That can be fun for all ages and hilarious! Go on a walk, jog or bike ride together. Bring out of town guests to the gym with you. You will all benefit from staying active and maybe make some fun memories while you are at it.
5. USE THOSE EXTRA CALORIES TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
I must say that from Halloween on I am pretty much carb-loading, so I like to take the extra energy I have from extra calories I consume to kick it up a notch at the gym. Now, don’t take this as permission to devour an entire pie just because you did 2 classes at the gym. Keeping all things in moderation is key this time of year. Just fight the urge to over indulge and you will feel much better both physically and mentally.
I would love to hear from you how you stay active during the holiday months. Leave a comment of any tips or ideas you have.
Here’s to a healthy and happy holiday season for all!
Michelle
