Motivation During the Holidays

As fitness professionals, we know it’s easy to lose motivation for staying active during the holidays. With the stresses (and joys) of holiday cards, shopping for gifts, baking and spending time with family it is easy to skip workouts. You may not be able to combat this completely, but we can offer some tips for staying motivated and healthy during the holidays!

1. Do Less: it can be hard to find the time to get in your full workout, but if you tell yourself you’re only going to do 20 minutes, it will be a lot easier to stick with it.  So, opt for a quick 15-30 minute express workout to keep your energy levels up and you won’t feel like you’ve got to start all over in the New Year.
2. Try Something New: one way to stay motivated is signing up for a new activity or class.  Maybe you always do a spinning class, try a SGT, Pilates or Muscle Strength class.  Maybe it’s a great opportunity to register your family for a rock-climbing course or perhaps you and your partner would enjoy a dance class.
3. Workout w/family and friends: it’s easy to use “family is in town” as an excuse to skip workouts but instead, include them.  Many gyms and training studios will allow you to bring in a friend for free – especially during the holidays.  It can be a ton of fun and you’ll be more likely to stay on track.
4. Head Outdoors: plan active outings with your friends and family.  It can be as easy as going for a walk or hike.  The fresh air will be good for all of you and will be a great opportunity to try something new and adventurous.
5. Just Move: the reality is that you probably won’t have the time to exercise as much as usual so instead focus on incorporating more “non-exercise” movement.  For example, go for a walk with your family and friends, in the mall take the stairs instead of the escalators, and part at the back of the lot. The little bits of extra activity will help you feel better and make up for the fact that you’re not adhering to your normal routine.
6. Eat: that seems like odd advice during the holidays! Instead of focusing on what your shouldn’t be eating, focus on what you have to eat! Instead of forbidding any treats over the holidays rather, focus on drinking 8 glasses of water, consuming 5 vegetables and 3 fruits, eat breakfast, and consume 5 small meals/snacks each day.  By eating consistently and consuming a lot of the good stuff, you’ll feel better and will be more likely to stay motivated and less likely to over-indulge in the not-to-good choices.
7. Sleep: if you’re tired, stress appears worse than it is and you won’t just have the energy to do what you need to do.  Solid sleep will definitely help maintain your motivation.