Avoiding The Holidaze

By: Donna Jenkins, MHA, RMA, CPT

How many of you have already crossed off your fitness classes and/or plans to exercise because you are just “way too busy” with the holidays fast approaching? I Know! I Know! It’s so cold outside….why not take a break and stay in where it’s warm? The truth is that slacking off during the holidays will actually lead to added pounds and more stress to deal with in the New Year.

You may be thinking that there is so much to do and so little time to do it but what if when you planned your day, instead of adding in exercise last, you put it in first? What if you understood how to make adjustments during the holidays and other challenges in life to prioritize fitness, instead of letting the weight of these challenges weigh you down until you quit? Here are some tips to helping you stay the course and not fall prey to the “Holidaze.”

Tips To Success:

• First acknowledge that the holidays have the potential to derail your plans. Denying this could prove to be your greatest downfall and keep you from making the proper adjustments.
• Map out several alternatives to your current routine. For Example, if you attend classes at a specific time everyday but something comes up or the classes are on a holiday schedule or become cancelled due to inclement weather, bundle up and take a brisk walk outside or go ice skating with the kids if you can or simply pull out the home exercise routine and/or fitness dvds that are collecting dust and get to it!
• Mix up your routine to avoid boredom and combine exercise and family commitments. Plan a trip to go hiking in the mountains or walk the trails at the nearest park or zoo.
• Take a realistic look at your schedule and instead of squeezing exercise in, try to eliminate some of the unnecessary things that serve as a distraction. The object is not to do more but to do less and be more effective with it.
• Seek to add a workout or two instead of taking out a workout or three but at minimum make time for exercise. Not only will this make a difference physically, it will mentally remind you that your No. 1 objective is to lose weight and stay healthy.

Regardless of what you decide to do, stays focused and stay positive but allow yourself some slack. What matters most are the overall total calories you consume and the overall total you expend through physical activity over the entire holiday period. One or two splurges aren’t going to derail your efforts, so enjoy yourself and your family, practice portion control and most importantly, get back on track if you fall off.

Happy Holidays from your fitness coach