How to stay fit during the holidays

How to stay fit during the holidays

7 August 2017

When the holiday season rolls around the fitness routine you have been working so hard to keep on top of all year can start to slip. This is bound to happen, and you shouldn’t feel too disheartened but to help get you back on track we’ve got some useful tips.

Set yourself a target
If you are working towards something, you are much more likely to commit than if you only vaguely say you want to get fit and fail to establish a definite routine.  Signing up for a run is a great way to keep on top of your fitness as it gives you an end goal.  This could be anything from a 5K or a 10K run to a half marathon or even a tough mudder if you’re feeling especially brave!  You could even consider signing up for a class or joining a boot camp as they will help you set targets to reach and they will help you establish a routine.

Find a workout buddy
If you workout with a friend you are much more likely to succeed.  Once you’ve made the commitment, you will want to see it through and will worry more about letting your friend down than you would letting yourself down.  Together you can reach targets and keep each other motivated by providing encouragement throughout your workouts.

Improvise
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and try to stick to a routine during the holidays because realistically it isn’t going to happen.  Improvise and do more workouts at home if you are short on time and remember the workout doesn’t have to be perfect, just getting up and moving is the most important thing.  Adapt your workouts to your surroundings by trying high-intensity interval training as you will see results from doing this for just ten minutes.  You can even use household objects as weights!

Try healthier recipes
The holiday season can feel like the perfect opportunity for treats and of course for eating your family’s favourite recipes.  No one wants to miss out on the great good so try finding some healthier alternatives to the traditional meals.  Make healthier, fun snacks for the whole family, so you can enjoy them too.  Remember to be realistic as cheat meals are going to happen, so don’t be too hard on yourself, just don’t let them happen too often!

Involve the whole family
Just as you might involve the whole family by cooking healthier meals for everyone, you can also get them excited about working out.  With the kids off school it can be hard to find time to workout, so try to find fun activities that gets everyone out the house and active together.  Knowing how to stay fit during the holidays is always going to be challenging but try going on bike rides or hikes, followed by a picnic or even take the whole family swimming.  The options are endless!

We hope these tips have been useful but remember that it’s always going to difficult to stay fit during the holidays so don’t be too hard on yourself and get creative with how you work out.