Holiday Hustle: Tips To Stay On Track During The Holidays

We all know how daunting the approaching holiday season can be. Pressure to close out the year right, check-in on our goals we set at the beginning of the year, and set ourselves up for a successful start to the New Year!

It doesn’t have to be a time for you to get down on yourself for the goals you didn’t achieve and this definitely is not a time for you to say “I’ll start January 1st”… the best time to start is RIGHT NOW!

Kickstart your New Year’s goal ahead of time. Goals to workout, eat healthy, and stay on track can be made simple! With these healthy tips, you are sure to stay on track this holiday season and be sure your gains aren’t lost, but supported! Here is the blueprint to not derail your fitness goals during the holiday season:

Nutrition

Eat Before Events: Before heading to the holiday party with all the sweet treats, high carbohydrate meals, and turkey that leaves you feeling in need of the post-dinner nap…eat something healthy before you go! Eating a small protein-rich snack before heading to the holiday gathering can decrease your chances of overeating and overindulging in the high calorie foods and avoid the energy crash along the way!

These snacks are guaranteed to keep your energy up and on track this season.

Apple and Peanut Butter
Chomps Jerky Stick (or other zero sugar jerky)
Hard Boiled Egg (Snack on a few before you make your Deviled Eggs)
Almonds, Walnuts, Chestnuts, or any of your other favorite nuts/seeds

Focus On Portions: Sometimes your eyes are bigger than your stomach. Choose a smaller plate and take on smaller portions of each food to decrease your chances of overeating. Another way you can avoid overeating is after you finish your first helping of holiday foods, wait 15 minute before heading for potential seconds. This 15 minute window will allow you to digest what you ate and see if you are still hungry for seconds.

Balance The Treats With Steps: We all love holiday desserts! We get it – the warm apple pie, cookies, and pumpkin treats are hard to avoid. If you enjoy these sweet treats in moderation you can avoid the energy crash after your meal and avoid that feeling of wasting your workout. Another way you can enjoy without the energy crash after the sugar high is to add in a 5 to 10 minute walk after your meals, especially desserts. This walk will help your body to metabolize the meal and sue the sugars you consumed to fuel your working muscles! It’s a win-win!

Workouts

Don’t Compromise Your Routine: Most of us are used to our weekly routine. Don’t let the holidays throw a wrench in your groove! You have made it so fr into the year with a wonderful workout routine, don’t compromise it now! Keeping your regular exercise routine will ensure you get your movement in before you celebrate the holidays with family and friends! Even with travel, there are plenty of ways to incorporate movements hile away from home and your gym. Try these tips if you are traveling this holiday season:

Use the hotel gym.
Check out gyms and workout classes near where you are staying.
Get outside in the sun and move! Walk or run for 20-30 minutes.

Incorporate Family Activities: Traveling with family? Make them part of your routine and have them join! You can turn it into a game or friendly competition with each workout. By having them join you it can give you the satisfaction of sticking to your routine without feeling like you are missing out on quality time with your loved ones!

Try New Workouts – The end of the year can often be a time where we start to question our workouts. Are you still seeing results? Feeling unmotivated? Change up your workouts!!! Try classes you never have before, add in new lifts to your workouts, or experiment with working out at a different time of day. Any of these changes can help to keep you routine fresh, keep you motivated, and avoid burn-out during the holidays.

Self-Care

Stay Hydrated: Staying hydrated during travel can keep your energy high and keep you on track. Proper hydration can help to satiate your hunger also! This means you get increased energy without the overindulgence crash after your meals.

Prioritize Sleep: Rest and recovery is just as important as your workouts. Aim to get your 7-8 hours of quality sleep to keep you energized during your family gatherings and holiday travel plans. This can also help you to avoid the seasonal cold and keep you healthy as you enter the new year!

Set Boundaries: Keep your goals at the forefront of your mind and don’t overbook yourself by saying yes to all event leaving you no time for yourself. Down time during the busy holiday season is important to keep you grounded and true to your goals! Set aside time for yourself that you are intentionally moving and doing things for YOU!

Holiday’s don’t have to be a time of packed schedules and losing sight of your goals! You can maintain the progress you have made the entire year and continue to work hard towards the new years goals you have your eyes on.

Give these tips a try this holiday season and set yourself up for success in 2025!

Dr. Victoria PT, DPT

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