The holiday season is a time for family and friends. It’s a time to enjoy life and just be, but the only downfall that comes with the holidays are the dreaded pounds we gain, the temptations that occur and the hard decisions that come with keeping your workout routine. Keeping up with your workout routine over the holiday isn’t just important for yourself, it’s important for those around you too. Here is why!
Image source: http://leighcarter.ca/the-3-week-holiday-workout/
Why
Your workout routine isn’t something that just comes and goes. It doesn’t just benefit you, yourself, it also benefits those around you. Working out doesn’t have to be a burden or a quest to find your happiness. If you have a routine, you don’t want to stray from it due to the work that you’ve already put in.
The Work You’ve Put In
If you wake up every morning and play your day around your workout, cool. Continue on with that routine to keep you where you want to be. If you’re more of the type of person to workout in the evening, then make your schedule around that. Done jeopardize the work you’ve already put in if you don’t have to.
How Far You’ve Come
Remind yourself how far you’ve come. When you started, how quickly could you run a mile? Not very impressive, right? Now you can probably see a significant different in where you came from to where you are now. Remind yourself of all the work that you’ve put in and the accomplishments and goals that you’ve met.
Keep in Mind
Keep in mind that while your workout is important, your routine is important, family and friends are more important. While you can workout anytime during the day, try getting your workout in before you have to go anywhere. If you have to, modify your workout a few weeks before your planned holiday so that when the holidays come around you can easily slip into a modified routine to fit your schedule.
How
So how can you help yourself in the weeks leading up to the festivities, the ever-loved holidays? Check it out below!
Prepare Only the Food Necessary
If you’re asked to bring a dish, be sure that you only bring the dish that has been asked to bring. Ask the number of people that are going to be there and portion size the dish out. If it helps, cut the dish into directed portions to ensure that there is enough for everyone to go around.
Treat Yourself
Let’s be real. You know that you’re going to stray from your diet. You’ll more than likely have a piece of cake, some cookies, maybe pie throughout the holiday experience. While it isn’t ok to indulge in the whole pie, half the cake, and a dozen cookies, try smaller portions. The smaller portions will give you a taste of the sweet treat, but won’t cause you to over eat.
The Leftovers
Often times when you go somewhere for the holidays there is plenty of food to go around. Tons of stuff to eat, munch on, and people to mingle with. You will more than likely get offered leftovers. If this is the case, take it. Make something out of it. Tons of turkey left over? Make turkey sandwiches. Make turkey pot-pie. You can even make freezer meals from the foods that were given to you and have it at a later time.
Use the Scale
Scare yourself. Make yourself step on the scale at the start of the holiday. Keep track of how you’re doing, the weight gain, the weight loss, small accomplishments and large. Keep stepping on the scale throughout the period of the holiday. The more that you monitor your weight, the more you’ll be aware to keep in touch with your routine. This will make you less likely to gain an excess of weight.
Involve Your Family
If you’re worried that you won’t have time to go on with your normal gym routine, try involving your family instead. For example, if you’re not able to get to the gym, ask your family to go on a walk with you after dinner, you can make it fun for them too by completing a scavenger hunt.
While a routine over the holiday’s may seem impossible, know that it isn’t. Keeping up with your routine doesn’t have to be hard and it surely does not have to take away from your family and friends over the holiday season. Execute your routine in some way or another and keep up with your workout and diet. Don’t be afraid to splurge on a dessert or two– with moderation, of course. Tell us how you usually get through the holidays… We’d love to hear from you!
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