Keeping Up With Your Goals During the Holidays
Whether you look forward to them all year with excitement (like I do), or trepidation, the holidays can wreak havoc with your fitness and nutrition plans. Often people who don't have a firm grasp on the planning that goes along with healthy habits, find that it's easier to give up and make weight loss and "getting back in shape" a resolution for the new year.
There are some simple steps you can take to help keep on track with your goals without feeling deprived or over-scheduled. It's just a matter of taking a few minutes now, before the craziness REALLY hits, to sit down and make some plans.
The first thing to do is take stock of where you are at and where you want to be on January 2. Are you feeling good enough to stay where you are for a month and just relax a bit? Or do you want to hit January 2 a few pounds lighter, lifting a few pounds more, running a few miles more, or swimming a bit faster? Take into account the schedule of the month. Maybe it's a GREAT time to make new goals to keep your focus. Or maybe things that are beyond your control may throw up obstacles (like the high school pool where you swim being closed, or weather impeding your running or biking) to keep you from the goal. Perhaps it might be best to just be proud of where you are at this point in time and make a goal to not lose any fitness or gain any weight during the holidays.
Next make your plans. What do you have to do this season and how can you fit that in around your goals? Once you know what days are already spoken for, take a look at events in the area to determine what you can participate in that will help you stay on target. Is there a 5k such as the Jingle Bell Run or 12ks of Christmas you might participate in during December? What about a race or event on January 1 or December 31 (or both) to ring out the old and ring in the new in style?
Next find some like-minded friends and set goals together, and make them FUN goals! I know one of the things I enjoy doing is coffee runs, especially in the Winter. I put out a feeler on Facebook or Meetup and say "Running to Starbucks at 3:00 tomorrow? Anyone want to join me?" Perhaps have a good natured "Biggest Loser" competition where everyone tosses a few dollars into the kitty, and the winner gets the pot.
Take a look at free or low cost charity events you can participate in. Often you don't have to be a runner to be able to take part in a charity event such as a 5k. There are almost always walker components, and often even shorter (1 mile or even less) events that can get EVERYONE involved. Best part is, you're out in your community doing something with others and FOR others. On December 18, if you're in Marysville area, please join us for the first Holiday Scavenger Hunt to benefit the Marysville Food Bank. Sign up your family as a team and use your "feet" to navigate around Marysville to visit local businesses and landmarks. Cost? Food for the needy! What could be better than that?
Finally, give yourself a break and remember rest and relaxation are as much a part of fitness and health as running and nutrition are. You need to SCHEDULE in things like massages, naps, quiet movies, or even mani-pedis. That's not only a wonderful way to treat yourself, but why not invite a friend and say "Instead of giving gifts, lets do mani-pedis and lunch."
Focus doesn't have to mean razor sharp, eye on the prize, never say die white knuckle stress during the holidays. It can be as easy as simple planning, letting of the reigns just a TINY bit, and organizing your life like a healthy person lives to make it through the holidays in one healthy piece!
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