Christmas can be a tricky time for anyone concentrating on their fitness. It’s a period full of family time, gifts & temptation. You see friends and family overindulging, and it’s easy to stray from your usual disciplined routine in fear of missing out.
It doesn’t have to spell the end of your fitness routine and an unravelling of all your hard work. It is possible to enjoy the festive period whilst maintaining your gains so let’s run through some simple ways to do just that.
Stay Active
You should still try to stick to your fitness routine where possible. It may not always be possible as businesses will likely close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or bank holidays. See this as an opportunity to get more creative and try something new.
If you do a lot of weight training, try bodyweight exercises, or if you are prepared, buy some equipment before the festive period. Resistance bands are a brilliant, inexpensive way to get a workout in.
Before you go out and spend a fortune on equipment, look for some promo codes for Nike, Adidas or other fitness brands.
Drink In Moderation
It’s no secret that drinking alcohol or sugary drinks has little to no physical benefit to your health. That doesn’t mean that you have to avoid them during the festive period completely. It’s just as important to enjoy yourself as much as you want and if that involves drinking alcohol or soft drinks, feel free to indulge. Just be aware that these kinds of drinks will add extra calories to the ones you’ve already eaten. So enjoy them, but enjoy them in moderation.
Avoid Skipping Meals
Meal skipping might seem like a good idea to cut the calories and make up for treats you are going to consume, but in reality, it’s likely to make you more hungry. Don’t skip breakfast; it remains the most important meal of your day and will set you up correctly for a busy day of socialising and celebrating.
Another great way to manage your meals throughout the festive period is to eat less and more often. Instead of eating two huge meals, as is often the case at Christmas, split this up into five smaller meals. Eat your dinner earlier and add a walk before bed to remove all that festive guilt you may feel.
Enjoy Yourself
The most important advice is to enjoy yourself. Christmas is a time for spending quality time with family and loved ones. There is no benefit from worrying or stressing that you a deviating from your fitness goals. Don’t be too strict or hard on yourself; enjoy the moments.
Think of it as maintaining your fitness rather than making striding gains. Then when the festivities have passed, you can kick on without distractions towards your fitness goal.
Are you looking to treat someone else or yourself over the Christmas period? Don’t pay full price; save yourself some money and use a promo code for Nike, Adidas or many other sports retailers.