How to Stay in Shape During the Holiday Season

The holidays can be a difficult time to stay in shape. Unlike the warmer months, the colder holiday season creates space for more time to be spent idle and indoors. On top of that, holiday eating habits are not the easiest to navigate if you’re trying to diet. 

BUT, just because it can be difficult, doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Here are some of our best tips for staying in shape from Thanksgiving through New Year’s. 

Schedule Your Workouts

Scheduling your workouts is a near-guaranteed way to ensure you don’t skip out or miss them. The best way to do this is to take a little time at the beginning of each week and figure out ahead of time where in your schedule you can fit your workouts in. Take note of when you need to work, have family obligations, have holiday parties, and so on. By doing this, you won’t find yourself searching for time to work out during the week because you’ve already got in on the schedule!

Get Creative with Your Workouts

With each season change, there’s an opportunity to take advantage of different workouts in your area. If you live in a particularly cold area look for outdoor activities that get a great workout like skiing, snowboarding, or ice skating. As a bonus, you can pack in some family time by getting your family to join you in these workouts!

You can also look to vary your normal workouts by doing HIIT training workouts, trying a cycle bike, or investing in home gym equipment to make working out even easier.

Keep Your Routine (Somewhat) Normal

For most people, the holidays are a big disruption to their normal schedule. As our tip above suggests, scheduling your workouts ahead of time will help, but trying to maintain a somewhat normal schedule will also!

For example, if you normally work out in the mornings, try to continue doing so. Even if you’re traveling find a gym you can purchase a guest pass to or if all else fails go out for a walk or run. Keeping some normalcy in your routine, will help maintain your good habits, and also encourage you to make better choices when indulging in holiday treats! 

Hydrate!

If you’re working out or exercising outdoors, it can be easy to forget to hydrate properly. In the warmer months, it’s easier to remember since you’re hot and wanting to quench your thirst. But hydration is just as important in the cold months, especially if you’re doing vigorous activity like snowboarding or skiing. 

Indulge – Sometimes

It’s nearly impossible (and not as much fun) to get through the holiday season without indulging in any of your favorite holiday treats or family’s home cooking. Rather than skip out on everything which could lead to binging. It’s better if you enjoy your favorite treats in moderation. Fill your plate with vegetables and proteins first before going for indulgent items, and you’ll find this will help you strike a healthy balance in your holiday eating!

Prioritize Sleep

Sleep plays a big role in fitness and your overall well-being, but unfortunately, most people don’t get enough of it especially during the holidays and while traveling. To ensure a restful night’s sleep wherever you are, make sure your bed is comfortable, shut off all electronics 1-2 hours before bed, keep your room dark and limit your water intake at least 45 minutes to an hour before you go to bed. Play relaxing music or white noise if you are having trouble falling asleep and aim for 7-8 hours a night.