Tips to help you keep your health and fitness on track over Christmas

We all know that treating your body like a temple in the festive weeks before January 1st isn’t going to happen! But going overboard during the holiday season isn’t just about putting on the extra pounds – it’s about the loss of fitness, reduced performance and feeling sluggish, grouchy and guilty – which is far from joyful and festive!

So, here’s how to maintain your fitness and wellbeing and enjoy the most wonderful time of the year:

1. Plan ahead

Contrary to what you might think, getting the most out of festive parties probably means scheduling in a few workouts, even if exercising will be knocked down a few pegs on the priority list.

Think about how happy and energised you feel after finishing a workout compared to how you feel after days of being sedentary and consider which is more conducive to you enjoying the season to the full? Identify when you can fit in a workout and not miss out on the fun and then put it in your diary!

2. Think less about calorie counting

Remember it’s possible to be undernourished although you are overeating. While Quality Street and mince pies are our most favourite of food groups, slipping in those extra veggies will help keep your immunity strong so you can better combat winter illness. By fuelling your body with plenty of protein, vitamins and minerals, you’ll also be in a better position to kick-start your New Year’s training.

It won’t stop you gaining those festive pounds, but you’ll feel better for it and, when January rolls around, it’ll be a lot easier to get back to healthier eating and training hard if your body has been properly nourished.

3. Honour the 80/20 rule

Ah, the good old ‘everything in moderation, including moderation’ mantra. If you’re indulging in that second helping of Christmas pudding after a week of healthy choices, or falling off the fitness wagon 20 percent of the time, don’t beat yourself up – keep calm and carry on.

For some people, it might be a good thing to do a bit less training – just don’t fall into the trap of an ‘all or nothing’ mindset.

4. Living room workouts

Away from your local gym? Staying with family from Christmas to New Year in the middle of absolutely nowhere? Consider switching your training to on-demand workouts.

“I found that replacing my long steady run with a shorter home workout, not only saved time but gave my fitness a boost, I didn’t lose out at all,” says Kate.

5. Kill two birds with one stone

Places to go, people to see, hams to marinade, etc? How are we supposed to keep up with friend before The Big Day and make it to the gym as well?

Consider doing an on-demand class with a friend and having a natter on Zoom afterwards.

6. Perfect is the enemy of good

So, perhaps in the midst of the Christmas frenzy, squeezing in that hour threshold session you had planned just isn’t possible. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do something – a surprising amount can be achieved in a fifteen minutes per week. Aim for shorter, more intense sessions.

Set yourself realistic goals. If you usually train five times a week, don’t force yourself to stick to that in December if you know you’re unlikely to achieve it. Do what you can. Just don’t do nothing!

7. Kick back a little

Christmas is also the time of year that you should enjoy yourself and let your hair down.

Relax and enjoy the festive season, it’s two weeks out of 52, so put it in perspective!