Taking care of yourself is hard during the holidays. You want to be with family and friends, you have lots of parties and events going on, and food options at these parties aren't always healthy. After all, what's a holiday without a little indulgence? No matter how much you try to do everything right, though, it's easy to stress yourself out so much that you get sick. That ruins the fun you were supposed to be having! To ensure that doesn't happen, here are 7 tips for taking care of yourself over the holidays.
Make your exercise and nutrition a priority.
Make exercise part of your routine. Think about how often and consistently you exercise during the rest of the year. If those numbers seem low, that's okay! It doesn't mean that you can't find time for exercise this month.
To ensure exercise is part of your daily routine, create a schedule and stick to it. Set a time of day to exercise and make sure that you do it. If you find that you are not able to fit in a workout in the morning, then plan on doing it later in the day or early evening. You could even utilize your calisthenics home gym. (If you haven't created yours yet, check out this guide.) It is important though that you stick to your plan so that you can actually see results!
Make healthy eating part of your routine too. Plan ahead and prepare your meals ahead of time. This will help to avoid making unhealthy choices when hunger strikes or when out with friends who may not be as health conscious as yourself. If possible try to shop once a week at local farmer’s markets so that you can pick up fresh produce and other healthy foods for the week ahead at an affordable price point!
Walk as often as possible.
Walk as often as you can. This is especially helpful if you are traveling. If you're willing to put in the extra miles, you'll sleep better and train your cardiovascular system.
Take advantage of the holiday season to meet new people and make new friends by walking with them or inviting them for a walk at your favorite park or trail. You might even consider starting an exercise group at work, church or temple. The social aspect of working out with others can help keep you motivated and accountable for your fitness goals.
Calisthenic parks and workout playgrounds are the best!
Calisthenic parks and workout playgrounds are the best! They are a great way to get out, be active and have fun in a natural environment. They are also a great way to meet other people who are interested in fitness.
There are some really cool parks around the world that offer all kinds of different workouts. You can do pull-ups on a tree branch, do dips on a bench or even use the monkey bars to do chin-ups! These places are amazing because they give you access to lots of different types of equipment for free (or for very cheap).
I love going to these parks because it allows me to get outside and enjoy nature while I work on my 100 or 30 day calisthenics challenges. I also love how social it makes me feel when I share these activities with friends or family members who also want to be active! It’s just like going to the gym except its free (or at least cheaper).
Nutrition is more than half the battle!
It's not just about staying healthy, though. It's also about feeling good! Holiday parties are a huge part of the holiday season, and it can be tempting to go all out with food and drink when you're caught up in the excitement. But while you may want to eat everything in sight, keeping your diet on point will actually make it easier for you to enjoy yourself. If your body is full of toxins from unhealthy foods—and if your stomach is overloaded with extra calories—you're likely going to feel tired and sluggish throughout the party instead of having fun with friends and family.
Here are some tips for eating healthy during this time:
Drink lots of water! One thing my trainer taught me was that our bodies need more water than we think they do (about eight cups daily) because there are so many subtle ways it helps us function better throughout the day. Having enough water can help prevent overeating by keeping us fuller longer or by allowing us to feel fuller faster when we do eat something high-calorie. And remember: just because drinks have bubbles doesn't mean they're healthy! Stay away from soda-based beverages like sodas as well as sweetened coffee drinks such as frappuccinos (which often contain loads of added sugar).
Eat small meals every three hours rather than big ones at regular intervals.* Focus on whole foods rather than processed ones (like chips versus carrots), which tend have fewer calories per serving but more nutritional value overall.* Don't skip breakfast—it's an important way for your body to start burning off fat after sleeping all night; skipping breakfast leads only towards cravings later on in the morning or afternoon.
Do the best you can AND be grateful to yourself for doing it.
This is a very important one that I learned from a friend of mine. She said: “Do the best you can AND be grateful to yourself for doing it.” This was such a profound statement because it reminds us that we are human and have limits, but also that there is no reason why we cannot do our best when we have things to do and accomplish in life! We don't need to always beat ourselves up about not being perfect or feeling like we should be doing better all the time if we are already doing some good things in life and trying our hardest at them! And she's right—we need to practice gratitude even when times get tough! This applies not only when exercising but also during holidays as well - if you're feeling guilty about eating certain foods, remind yourself what they mean (family time!), how much fun everyone is having together during these gatherings...and then practice gratitude by considering all those details while eating your favorite holiday food!
Think about this: If you only have 10 minutes to exercise, then exercise for 10 minutes! That's better than nothing. Then tell yourself THANK YOU. You did something positive that day—and every little bit adds up! The more often we practice gratitude for everything we do well and focus on that, the easier it becomes to stay disciplined.
Use the "Never Two" Rule.
The “Never Two” Rule is about being consistent and making sure you don't give up on yourself. It's about not allowing bad habits to turn into a downward spiral, so no matter what happens, keep going!
It doesn't mean that if you miss one day of exercise because of illness or travel plans, then it's okay to miss two days in a row. If you eat poorly at lunch and dinner doesn't follow suit with more vegetables, then don't allow yourself the joy of eating junk food again the next day. When something goes wrong—and nothing ever goes perfectly—it's important not to make it worse by letting two things go wrong in a row. Instead, pick yourself up and keep going!
Have fun!
This holiday season, don’t be afraid to have late nights with friends or say yes to crazy adventures.
As a fitness enthusiast, I know how easy it is to get caught up in the idea of “all or nothing” when it comes to our health and fitness plans. While that might be a good mindset for short term goals (weight loss etc.), it can also be detrimental in the long run because it often results in stress, guilt and frustration when you miss your workouts or overeat. If this sounds like you then maybe it's time for some change!
Staying disciplined during the holidays is not easy, but it can be done. If you follow these tips and don’t stress yourself out too much over it all, then you are sure to have an amazing holiday season.
If you would like to see what 100 Days of Discipline is all about, then I encourage you to check out our online personal training community! Check out this free offering and guide where you get to sample some similar workouts that are included in our paid challenges:
Bye for now,
Elle Honeycutt