By Coach Natalie Anderson
The holiday season is upon us AND I know you are as excited as I am! For me, two things are guaranteed. One, adding Mariah Carey Christmas album to my Spotify heavy rotation list. And secondly, the constant balancing act of being able to enjoy the season’s festivities with my fitness! Thanksgiving and Christmas mean two months of constant gatherings, treats and opportunities to indulge!
Here are my tips for you to survive the holidays so that you are kicking off the new year feeling both happy and healthy:
- Stick with your routine! You spent the entire summer working out, getting to the gym and getting fit! Do not let the holidays derail your fitness schedule! Create a group chat with your workout buddies and hold each other accountable for attendance! Just getting to the gym will automatically make you want to make better food choices and let’s be honest if you are going to be eating that slice of pie, hitting the gym the next day is a great way to put those carbs to use!
- Say no to leftovers! If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year give away ALL of your leftovers, clean out your fridge and get back to your regular eating routine. If you are a guest this year say NO to leftovers. This will help keep the Thanksgiving madness to one day only and you’ll get back on track quickly.
- Find a Turkey Trot! If you aren’t home and don’t have access to your local gym, find a local 5K or if you’re near us, the Rockland Lake 5 miler! You can also do a Google Search and reach out to a local CrossFit gym to ask about the drop-in policy. IF you don’t have access to a gym and can’t do the turkey trot, text your coach and ask them for ideas on what you can do with no equipment. Did somebody say burpees?
- One serving, no seconds! It is possible to enjoy Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner without having that STUFFED feeling; serve one plate, eat slow and once you are done don’t go back for seconds. Be mindful of how full you feel and be present when you are eating. Same with dessert, pick your favorite option and enjoy it-or just skip the dessert table completely.
- Be KIND to yourself! During the holidays it’s easy to be hard on ourselves. Let’s avoid the guilty feelings and self-bashing. This season hold yourself accountable, but if you slip up or make a bad food decision IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. Be kind to yourself, and if you do make a decision that you aren’t proud of, the next day is a new opportunity to do it right. Sometimes a full belly and a full heart does the body good. Embrace it and move on!