Well December is here and if you are anything like me you still have a little bit of that post Thanksgiving fluff hanging about and you are already wondering how you are going to keep on track with your goals as you approach the rest of the month (which is inevitably packed with parties and get togethers). I love the holiday season because it is full of joy and so many fun activities, but I get tired of feeling so derailed from my progress and then rolling into January feeling like a powder puff (instead of a power house).
Some of you reading this might be like, "I don't have that problem. I stick to my regular meal plan and schedule and do not compromise at all." And I HAVE to tip my hat to that because that takes incredible discipline and dedication but I don't have that kind of will power, and I'm thinking that I'm in the majority when it comes to this.
So if you are in fact like me, I have come up with the 12 Days of Christmas Tips that will hopefully help you navigate the season with a little more success and leave you feeling a little healthier while still getting to participate in festivities. I have also detailed below a 12 Days of Christmas Workout which is entirely body weight movement and should take about 35-40 minutes to complete. This is a great one to do and to keep on hand if you are traveling for the holidays and maybe don't have a gym or equipment at your disposal.
Without further ado, here are your tips:
1. Do active things with your loved ones as activities. Instead of staying in and watching movies and eating all day, plan a trip to a nearby mountain and go sledding, snowshoeing, skiing, hiking, or snowboarding for the day. It's not only a fun way to connect with the outdoors and your friends/family, but you will also be burning calories like crazy and not even thinking about that workout you missed.
2. Eat a healthy, well balanced meal before attending a cocktail party. The last thing you want to do is get to a party STARVING and then before you know it you are eating everything that you have been trying to avoid. If you are already full you will be more in control of the few items that you might want to partake in.
3. Offer to be the designated driver. Not EVERY time but being the driver will definitely keep your alcohol consumption in check.
4. Do a plyometric TABATA on days when you can't make it to the gym. It will ease some of the guilt you may feel for skipping it, and it's a great way to boost that metabolic burn in the morning. Remember, a TABATA is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 sets. Some great options for TABATAS are burpees, jump squats, jump lunges, mountain climbers, and star jumps.
5. If you know you are going to a dinner party where you don't want to completely blow your diet, set parameters before you go. Maybe you are allowed to have 3 servings of "cheats" that night total, therein making you more selective and thoughtful about what you are eating. It's not about entirely avoiding it, but just being mindful of what you are taking in.
6. Get up early and get your workout out of the way. Too often people try and wait till the end of the day to get their workout in, only to be bombarded with other obligations that end up putting the workout on hold. Getting up 30-45 minutes early may seem like a lot at first but you will be surprised by the energy you feel from your workout AND the gratification you feel for accomplishing something that pushes you towards your goal.
7. Write out tangible objectives you want to complete that week and plan it into your schedule. You want to get to yoga three times this week? Write it into your calendar! You make plans with other people and set that time aside, do the same for yourself!
8. Meal Prep! With all the parties and festivities, try and stick to your clean diet for all other meals. Meal prepping is a great way to ensure that you have healthy options to reach for and less likely to indulge in something you don't want to.
9. Give yourself the power. Instead of telling yourself, "I can't have that," CHANGE YOUR LANGUAGE! It's not that you CANNOT have it, it is that you CHOOSE to not have it, or you DO NOT want it. This simple fix adjusts your mindset from feeling to deprived to feeling empowered.
10. Look for fun Groupons and Deals with activity. Around this time of year there are always specials being run at fitness studios. Take advantage by trying that spin class you've been wanting to, or getting two weeks discounted at that boxing gym. Not only will you save money, but you get a great workout and get to try something fun. Want to make it even better? Do it with a family member or a friend! Turn that workout into some quality time that you can both benefit from. 11. Plan ahead. Look at your schedule for the week and adjust accordingly before you get swept away for your food and workouts. Make goals and a schedule and STICK TO IT.
12. Remember what this season is about and enjoy it. Yes, you might want to have some balance in the season, but overall spend the time with those that you love and don't overthink it. Laugh a lot, embrace those around you, and ultimately share in the joy and peace that the holiday brings.
12 Days of Christmas Workout:
So how this works, is just like if you were singing the song. So you do Day 1, then you do Day 2 and Day 1. Then you would do Day 3, Day 2, and Day 1, and so on. This is meant to be done as fast as possible with resting only as needed. Try it out and let me know what you think :)
Day 1. 45 second wall sit
Day 2. Jump Lunges (each side- so 4 total)
Day 3. Hand stand push ups (pike or straddle push ups are good scaling options)
Day 4. Sumo Squats
Day 5. Burpees
Day 6. V-ups
Day 7. Jump squats
Day 8. Push ups
Day 9. 20 foot crab walk
Day 10. Sit ups
Day 11. Mountain climbers (each side- so 22 counts total)
Day 12. Two minute cumulative plank hold (on elbows)