How to Stay on Top of Your Progress During the Holidays

We all do it. We get to the holiday season and we get into a place of anxious scurry, where we either put pressure on ourselves to change our habits or fill our minds with self-conscious worry about messing up the progress we've worked so hard for.

Here's the thing...staying on top of your fitness journey during the holidays doesn’t have to be as difficult as we make it.

Here are a few tips to help you survive the holidays and hang on to the progress you’ve made before them.

Expect to enjoy yourself

This is the number one rule when it comes to staying on track for the holidays. Restrictions are like looming clouds of guilt ready to rain on your holiday cheer the moment you do something that doesn’t align with your fitness and/or nutrition routine.

Now, that doesn’t mean use the holiday season as a pass to be glutinous, but just be mindful of the things you put in your body and be aware that you're going to need to burn off some calories in order to not feel heavy, sluggish or unmotivated.

Plan ahead

A friend once told me, treat things you need to do like you would a meeting with someone important. Treat your workouts like meetings with yourself.

Take a look at your schedule and pick out the slots where you have free time. Place a reminder in your phone, or in your calendar to send you alerts for your workouts.

Travel smart

If you know you have a long trip ahead of you, pack your food. Yes, even on flights. Did you know you can take cooked food in your carry-on on an airplane. I've taken chicken, tuna, broccoli and brown rice on flights and it was perfectly fine, well... maybe not for the person smelling my tuna.

Anywho, your food will get through security as long as it’s in a container and it doesn’t contain liquid. You can also save money and time, both in the airport and on the road by preparing your own healthy meal or snacks to take with you.

Take a class

It can be difficult to stay motivated to workout over the holidays, so taking a group fitness class can give you someone to push you through a workout.

Don’t let traveling or finances stop you. Most gyms give guest passes and many group class facilities give first-time guests a free class. All you have to do is go online and start looking for places near you.

Eat before the festivities

Never go to a holiday function on an empty stomach. First and foremost, eat a healthy breakfast! It starts you off on the right foot and gets your metabolism going. It'll also encourage you to eat other healthy meals throughout the day.

If you know you have a function coming up where there’s going to be tempting food and desserts, eat before you go. It’s easier to resist the sweets and finger foods when you go throughout your day eating as you normally should.

Now that you have a few tips, it is the perfect time to get a head start on making sure you don’t fall off. Stay focused on your goals, plan, prepare, and most of all, have a wonderful holiday.

Love,