It sounds like a tall order, but it's entirely possible to get fit, lose weight, and eat better during the holidays. And you can do it without losing your mind. The goal is to find balance and focus on what's realistic, not fantastical goals worthy of a made-for-TV holiday movie. Here's what to focus on, and how to turn your holidays into a tinsel-strewn success.
Consider Multiple, Condensed Workouts
Old-school wisdom taught us to focus on one, intense workout to get fit and lose weight. In reality, multiple short sessions generally provide the same health and fitness benefits. In some situations, brief workouts are also considered better than hitting the gym for hours. So if you're having trouble making time for a workout, don't worry. Instead, plan for two workouts in the morning and evening to pack in the results.
Start a Food Journal
Exercise is just one piece of the puzzle to losing weight, especially during the holidays with endless confections on rotation. A food journal is also an important part of holding yourself accountable and taking a hard look at what you're really eating. Studies show that those who kept a food journal lost twice as much weight as the ones who kept no record of what they ate. After all, it's easy to get sidetracked and forget you ate your way through half a tin of fudge while wrapping gifts and travel planning.
Crowd-Out Your Diet
Eating healthier and sticking to it is a common struggling of anyone trying to stay fit, lose weight, and still enjoy the holidays. Instead of approaching it as an all-or-nothing mentality, you can crowd out your diet instead. Focus on eating five or six full servings of fruit or vegetables and prioritize it over your usual diet routine. Once you've filled your quota of healthy servings, you'll feel more satiated and satisfied and reach for less treats.
Allow Some Indulgences
Remember, its still the holidays! If you want to celebrate with a little champagne, holiday cookies, and cakes, go for it. But remember to look at those indulgences as a small treat to sweeten your day. It's not meant to replace your healthy eating choices and upleveling your workout routine.
Drink More Water
Drinking water and staying hydrated is good for your health, mind, and weight loss goals. When you drink more water, your body recovers from workouts faster and more efficiently. You're also likely to have more energy when you're well-hydrated. Beyond your daily 8 to 10 glasses a day, make it a goal to drink a full glass of water before and after each meal to help curb your appetite and still feel full.
Make Working Out Easier
Not all workouts are created equally, but that also doesn't mean you need expensive gym equipment to get the job done. Instead, focus on what makes your workout easier to accomplish. Our collection of fabric resistance bands, exercise mats, and cooling towels simplifies your workout. You can use them for a total-body workout to target specific muscle groups, including quads, hamstrings, glutes, shoulders, chest, biceps, triceps, abs, and more.
Rethink Holiday Traditions
Holiday traditions may look dazzling on a cookie plate, but doesn't have to derail your efforts to get fit. Rethink family togetherness and time with friends altogether with a hike, going caroling as a group, and volunteering in your community. When there's less emphasis on food, you can find a new way to celebrate holiday cheer.
Don't Let the Scale Have the Final Save
Sometimes it's not the holiday food or family feasts that derail our efforts to lose weight and stay fit. Instead, we let the scale dictate our progress without looking for other clues. Sometimes the scale never budges, but you still lose a pant size or suddenly find your shirts fit better. Use a tape measurer and jot down your progress before, during, and after the holidays to make sure you're staying on track.
Next Steps
Staying fit, losing weight, and eating healthy is obtainable year-round, even during the holiday season of feasts and treats. Get a leg up on your workouts by browsing our entire collection of resistance bands and other products here.
Keeping moving,
~ The Movéo Team
