Christmas is just around the corner – and for many of us, this means the next few weeks are going to be packed full of parties and plans to see loved ones.
It’s difficult to stick to any kind of programme at this time of year. You might be forgiven for temporarily swapping cold runs in the rain for hearty carbs. You could easily ditch the dumbbells in favour of a few drinks.
But you owe it to yourself to keep making progress, even if your priorities need to change for a little while.
Here are 8 of our best tips for keeping your diet and fitness on track this festive season.
1. Scale back instead of giving up
Problem:
It’s so easy to say, “well it’s Christmas, I’ll start again in January”. However, this could be the biggest mistake you make. Falling off the wagon completely in December could well put you back further than you think, and mean you lose valuable momentum as we go into January.
Solution:
Simply scale back your workouts. Instead of committing to five or six workouts a week, drop to three a week, or go for the one day on, one day off approach. It will help you free up valuable time that can be spent shopping or socialising, and you won’t feel guilty that you’ve undone your hard work thus far. Even getting down the gym once a week is better than nothing at all!
2. Make an effort to manage your time
Problem:
There’s so much to do, and not enough hours in the day. Yes, it’s a busy month. Yes, you’re going to be pulled in all sorts of directions. If you’re going to move into the New Year in a good position, you’ll need to prioritise your workouts and not consider them an afterthought.
Solution:
Get up early on three days out of seven. Get your workouts in early. This will set you up for the day and you’ll be less likely to succumb to outside influences.
3. Plan your meals property
Problem:
“I’ve got a big Christmas dinner tonight, so the diet’s going to go out the window.” How many times have you ushered that one? Sure, the biggest problem with Christmas is all the temptation, but you don’t have to go completely off the rails.
Solution:
Try to stick to your meal plan, especially if you know you’re going to be eating at different times compared to your normal routine. Plus, eating planned meals will fill you up in advance, meaning you’re less likely to stuff yourself full of rubbish when you’re out on your Christmas jollies.
4. Drink plenty of water
Problem:
Don’t set yourself up for a stinking hangover and use it as an excuse not to train.
Solution:
Alcohol is a very powerful diuretic. It can leave us dehydrated, feeling like crap, and unable to train. But you can counteract the effects of your favourite tipple if you keep your fluids up. In between your festive drinks, try and get a good amount of water down you, especially during the day and before you go to bed. Drinking lots of water is by no means a hangover cure, but it will help – and it may even help enough to get you to the gym!
5. Limit your treats
Problem:
Sweets. Biscuits. Mince pies. Chocolate cake. Temptation is everywhere. Don’t get me wrong, it’s OK to allow yourself a few treats at Christmas, but giving in at every turn is guaranteed to ruin your hard work.
Solution:
Only snack on those things that are usually reserved for Christmas. Avoid snacks that are readily available throughout the year. And when it comes to tinned sweets, you know that demolishing the whole tin is a bad idea! A good trick is to slow yourself down with the ridiculously chewy toffees. We guarantee that two of these at a time will slow your binging down to a crawl.
Also, try snacking on nuts in between the sweet treats. Nuts are full of nutritious protein and good fats.
6. Stay active
Problem:
Between buying presents, catching up with your mates and spending time with family, you’ve got too much going on to get to the gym.
Solution:
Stay as active as you can. Remember, lockdown proved that we don’t need access to a gym to keep fit, and there are lots of simple everyday tips that can help to keep the pounds off. For example, park the car a good ten-minute walk from your destination. Take the stairs instead of the lift. Walk around the shops instead of sitting on your sofa and ordering everything online. You could even get into the habit of going for a brisk walk after every meal.
7. Set realistic goals
Problem:
Autumn is a great time for keeping on plan. There’s not usually much going on in October and November, so we have plenty of time to train (and train hard). By the time December kicks into gear, though, staying on plan can be tough – and we make ourselves feel guilty that we’re not working out as intensely or as frequently as before.
Solution:
Be realistic about what you’re going to achieve in the run-up to Christmas. Think about how busy you’re going to be and plan your workouts around your plans – not the other way around. It’s the best (and only) way to make sure you still make positive progress without getting disappointed and frustrated.
8. Enjoy yourself!
Problem:
You’re probably going to have a couple of cheat days. Maybe a few more. It’s inevitable.
Solution:
It doesn’t need to be the end of the world. You might have messed up your diet over the weekend, but that doesn’t mean you need to write the whole month off.
If you binge at any point, don’t beat yourself up about it. Adjust your diet and training accordingly and aim for a bit of damage limitation rather than falling completely off the bandwagon until the New Year. Deal with what’s in front of you one day at a time – and don’t feel bad about taking a little time out to enjoy the holidays!