Enter the Holidays with the Right Mindset
We're getting into the holiday season, which can be full of fun and entertainment but can also present obstacles if you're trying to develop long-term healthy habits.
Vacations, holiday parties, social gatherings, treats, and booze can all be wonderful things for us to enjoy, but it's important to approach them with the right mindset in order to find a healthy balance.
Don’t wait until January
It's common to treat this holiday stretch as a "throw-away" period of time. Like Hey, there's too much going on. I'll wait until January to get back on track.
The holidays happen EVERY year. It's not a surprise occasion that pops up once in a lifetime. We should be able to plan ahead and approach things with the big picture in mind.
You may have extra conflicts, and you may not get EVERY single workout you wanted to. But that doesn't mean you should throw in the towel until January. Do what you can. Get one workout each week if that's what you can do.
You may be traveling during the holidays. No problem! We have a long list of at-home workouts you can do without access to a gym...
And make a plan to get back to your normal workouts as soon as you return. It’s all too common for people to let a short break turn into a long break because they don’t prioritize getting back into their routine.
Keep the right perspective
It's a dangerous mindset to turn OFF and turn ON your health for extended periods of time. It's possible to enjoy some of these holiday treats while still making a few healthy moves...
Move (walk, bike, hike, snowboard, ski, snowshoe).
Do a workout - lift something.
Drink water.
Eat some veggies at your dinners and gatherings.
Try to get adequate sleep.
Don't completely forget about your health until January or you'll find yourself in a bigger hole than you want.
It's not all-or-nothing when it comes to your health. Have a great time, enjoy the holiday parties, the treats, the beverages, family, and friends, but remember...balance is very important when it comes to a healthy relationship with our body and our mind.
A few workouts can be enough to keep you from abandoning the progress you've made over the previous months. And if you’ve been waiting for a good opportunity to jump back into your fitness routine, there's no better time than now!
Enjoy the holiday season and take care of yourself!