Nikki Boswell, Nutritionist for the December 28 Day Challenge has provided some easy ways to stay motivated with your healthy eating and exercise plans during the holiday season:
The holidays may be merry but they can be one big headache too! Regular exercise is a great way to keep a handle on your stress levels, take some much needed time out from the chaos and relax.
Once you’re feeling a little more relaxed the thought of sticking with your health goals won’t seem so daunting and you will be less likely to eat on emotional impulse.
To keep motivated with your health goals, reduce your stress levels and avoid the emotional eating trap:
- Don’t plan too much – it’s ok to say ‘No’ to the Christmas party your cousin’s best friend invited you to; keeping your schedule to a minimum will help you reduce your stress and give you more time for more important things.
- Set yourself small goals – the Holiday season really is only a few short weeks, so set yourself just a few simple goals to keep you on track each week.
Make yourself a fun advent calendar with a mini workout written inside – write yourself a little fitness challenge for the 24 days leading up to Christmas. It’s just a little fun, but a great way to stay motivated and fit in a few extra burpees, squats and push ups! Get creative with your workouts, try different exercise combinations and really challenge yourself (make sure you don’t know which workouts have ended up in which spot – it’ll routine the fun!)- Let someone else do all the work – or at least share the load. Don’t be shy about asking guests to bring a plate or delegating the workload over the holiday season. A little extra help can really make a difference to your stress levels and allow you to stay focused on your health goals.
- Don’t lose sight of the big picture – even if you do end up indulging a little more than you usually would over the festive season, don’t lose sight of your goals and don’t forget how far you’ve come. Bumps in the road are to be expected but don’t let them knock you completely off course.
Make yourself a fun advent calendar with a mini workout written inside – write yourself a little fitness challenge for the 24 days leading up to Christmas. It’s just a little fun, but a great way to stay motivated and fit in a few extra burpees, squats and push ups! Get creative with your workouts, try different exercise combinations and really challenge yourself (make sure you don’t know which workouts have ended up in which spot – it’ll routine the fun!)Nikki Boswell, Nutritionist
