How can you keep your exercise focus and enjoy time, good food and drink with your family over the next two weeks?
It can be hard to keep up an exercise routine during the holidays, but you do not want to lose all the gains you have made over the last few months.
Research has show that stopping exercise for 1-2 weeks can really reduce your fitness levels and any gains you have made. This can be detrimental to your health. By following these simple and easy tips you will be well on the way to maintaining a healthy and fit holidays.
1. Take 10 minutes to put an exercise plan in place for the next two weeks.
This discipline will drive you to stay on track and if it is written down, you will be more likely to commit to your plan. Put these into your schedule and it will make an enormous difference to your holidays and fitness levels.
Do check in every now and again and make some adjustments if you need.
Also by ticking the sessions off that you have done, you will have a great sense of achievement!
2. Find a friend or group of friends to exercise with.
You will both motivate and push each other harder, even if you do not meet up daily you can check that you have both completed your workout. Missing a workout will feel like you have let your buddy down.
If your friends are not that inclined to workout then there are loads of challenges out there on line so go ahead and sign up! You can do it!
3. It might be cold outside, but it is most definitely beautiful out there.
Wrap up warm and head out for a run/walk/snowshoe/cross country ski with your family or friends. It will be so invigorating and you all will feel amazing when you have finished!
4. Exercise first thing in the morning to avoid putting it off.
By completing your workout first thing, not only will you feel great and have a sense of accomplishment but research has shown that an early morning workout may help you not over indulge later on during the day.
If the morning is not your thing, try helping your motivation by placing your fitness clothes so they are the first thing you see in the morning when you wake up. You'll have no excuses then to get up and get fit!
5. Sign up for a race in January or February to give you a reason to exercise!
This will help your motivation so you have a reason to exercise and keep fit. There are several races here in Calgary to enter or make a fitness-holiday and head off to a destination to run a race.
Good luck and enjoy the festive season!