Festive. Fitness. Fun.
Well, it's that time of year again that most of us either love or dread (or a little of both).
Whether that's looking amazing over the holidays, or sticking to your workout routine - now is the time to stay focused on your end goal. With a little bit of planning and armed with some better choices, you can have your cake and eat it too. So instead of accidentally slipping up on your gym & green smoothie routine, here are our top 7 tips for staying fit whilst still having fun in the lead up to Christmas.
1. Plan your days
If you know you have Christmas parties followed by end of year events, the best thing you can do is plan your food and exercise well in advance. Lock in at the start of the week at least 3 workouts that are non-negotiable. Also, don't slacken off with the weekly grocery shop to ensure you have enough healthy food in the house to prepare your meals.
2. Work out with a friend
Slot your exercise times into days you know it won't be hard to get up and book them in with a buddy so you have can't back out and hit the snooze button.
3. Snack on (good) food throughout the day.
If you graze and snack on a little here and there all day, you will not build up that chance to be overly hungry. Instead of eating one huge meal which concludes with an unbuttoning of the top button of the pants, try having 4-6 smaller meals throughout the day. This way of eating is great for your metabolism and helps keep the cravings at bay.
4. Skip the gravy, dressings, and high-calorie condiments.
If you are cautious about calories yet still want to enjoy all that the holiday dinners have to offer, then skip the gravy and fatty dressings. Opt for a lemon juice or vinegar based dressing. Many times the dressings and condiments are worse culprits than the foods you put them on.
5. Plan catch ups over exercise
Finding it hard to fit your social, work and exercise commitments all into one week? Our tip is to catch up with friends over a yoga class or a nice brisk beach walk. Multi tasking at its best and no guilt attached!
6. Eat before your events
Knowing that you have an event on, remember to fill your belly with good wholesome food before going out. This way you are getting all your nutrients and you won't be tempted to snack on the calorie-laden finger food that is always so hard to resist.
7. Drink light
Opt for the lighter versions of drinks, avoiding cocktails, mixed drinks with soft drink and processed juices. Also having a sparkling water in between drinks can also diminish your calorie intake on a night out.
So don't let the silly season catch up with you. If you are dedicated to being in shape, one day will not ruin your results. But make sure you don't lose those good habits you have worked so hard on all year round. If you stick to the above advice you can still have fun during the festive season.
Do you have any more tips to add to the list?
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