Easy Tips to Survive The Holidays

We have all told ourselves …

“I’ll start Monday.”

“I’ll start next week.”

Or the most popular this time of year ..

“I’ll start when the New Year hits.”

Whether it’s:

Eating a healthier diet.

Starting a workout routine.

Prioritizing sleep.

Or any other new healthy habit...

We have all pushed off starting on our fitness goals … especially when the Holidays begin to creep in.

Why do we fall into that mindset?

We all know that we are gaining nothing by pushing off the start of a healthy lifestyle.

In fact, we are only delaying progress even more so.

Think about how much further along you could be if you started NOW … this very moment. If you made the decision to change NOW.

Where would you be when the New Year comes? That’s over two full weeks of progress.

How much momentum could you have built? What kind of changes could you have made?

Believe me … I know what you are thinking.

The Holidays are here.

Family Get-togethers …

Sweets everywhere you turn …

Almost NO time for yourself …

Feeling as if it is almost impossible to get to the gym, follow your meal plan, or make any healthy choices whatsoever.

The holidays are a difficult time, but you can absolutely get started now.

If you can simply make the decision that you WILL start before the New Year, we will give you 6 actionable steps that you can take right now that help you gain momentum going into January and beyond.

1) SET A GOAL – Whether that is to burn fat, build muscle, live healthier or simply be more active … you have to have a GOAL. Having something to work towards is crucial for keeping you on track. Without a goal, we tend to fall off the wagon MUCH easier.

2) DRINK WATER – This is something you have 100% control of. This is also a crucial aspect to any fitness goal. Anyone can make this a priority and it needs to be a priority. Water is universal to every single nutrition and fitness plan on EARTH.

3) FOCUS ON PROTEIN INTAKE – Almost as important as water due to the fact that if your goal is to burn fat, build muscle or both…a high protein diet is a necessity. Get used to having at least a palm size of protein with every meal and snack. This alone, can help maximize progress! You can even make this a focus during those Holiday meals! Start with Protein, then you may not feel the need to over- indulge in those extra treats. Protein actually helps you feel full!

4) MOVE YOUR BODY – This does not mean you need to be a workout warrior in the gym. Prioritize movement throughout the day. Make it a habit. 30 minutes a day, 3-5x per week is all it takes. We all can control our movement!

5) SLEEP – Work on getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Many believe this is just as important as your nutrition when it comes to fitness goals. Without good quality sleep, you will always be one step behind when it comes to results.

6) HAVE A PLAN – Whether it be nutrition, a workout or IDEALLY BOTH…have a plan in place. A plan you can SUSTAIN and ADHERE to. A plan that does allow you to enjoy the holidays, but also a plan you can jump back into as soon as this time passes. START THAT PLAN NOW. Get into those habits NOW. Build that momentum NOW. Then you will have no issues and no GUILT going to into Christmas and the New Year.

You can complete these simple tasks ... no matter what you have going on.

You can set a goal to:

-Drink more water.
-Eat more protein.
-Move More.
-Sleep Better.

Regardless of the time of year.

Most importantly …

We can ALL start these critical steps NOW.

Not tomorrow …

Not next week …

Not Monday …

Not after the New Year …

NOW.

If you need help with getting on track today, reach out to one of our Sports Nutrition Specialists. We can make sure you go into the New Year with the momentum you need to see the best results possible.

*This post was written by Andrew Lynn, who has a Bachelor's in Science Nutrition and Dietetics. He is also a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist.