How to Stay Motivated to Work Out During the Holidays
Even the life-long fitness freak sometimes feels the temptation to just kick back and forget about the gym bag for a week or two. But what kind of consistency would you be able to achieve if you allow yourself such massive gaps in your training routine and healthy eating habits?
So, before you forget why you started working out in the first place, let’s tackle a few useful ways you can boost your motivation even when the temptation is at its peak.
Perhaps you’re a lone wolf, or you already have a partner or a team that enjoys sharing the bliss of training in pairs and groups. But the importance of social support grows with the holiday season well underway, so consider adding a level of accountability to your routine.
If you don’t have a friend who’d enjoy training with you, you can join a group that nurtures the sort of team spirit you’d appreciate. It can’t hurt to have someone by your side encouraging you to give it your best for that final rep or run that extra mile.
It’s easy to put your training off indefinitely if you keep planning for the afternoons and evenings, when all the Christmas shopping and family gatherings happen. But, if you schedule your workouts for the morning, you’ll have a much better chance at sticking to your fitness promise.
However, nobody wants to have negative associations with training, so if you’re not by nature a morning person, get ample quality sleep every night in the weeks before you commence your early morning workouts. As soon as you start, they’ll give you so much energy and a happy hormone kick that you’ll start craving them more than your Christmas pudding dessert!
‘Tis the season to be jolly and generous, but while you’re stressing out in the home equipment isle trying to find the right coffee maker, why not make the shopping experience a little bit more fitness-oriented? Treat yourself to some new gym stringers you’ll want to wear and try out the very next morning, or head to the shoe department to see if your favorite model is on sale.
A pair of new gloves waiting for you is the ideal motivation boost you need to be inspired to achieve some new PRs and stay true to your fitness goals. Sure, you’ll spend hours looking for the right gifts for your family, so why not make it worth your while and bring a smile to your face?
Just like you don’t want to forget your gym bag somewhere in a dusty corner, try to find a fitness tracker that will help you push through the sticky holiday points. It can point out your caloric intake, and show you if you’re still on the right track, whether it’s weight loss, building muscle or just staying fit.
Results, numbers and tangible milestones are the best way to keep your eyes on the prize – they serve to remind you how far you’ve come, so let the numbers lead your way!
When all else fails, you’ll need to get creative and use your imagination to turn your workouts into something you’ll look forward to specifically during this time of year. Maybe you start perceiving your gym routine as just that, a routine, a chore, but when you swap it for something more exciting, such as a snowboard getaway or a skiing trip, then it becomes a whole new challenge.
Even if you can’t travel, you can learn a new dance, join an indoor climbing group or hike in nature with your friends and family – all of which are wonderful opportunities to stay healthy, fit and bond with your family during the holiday season, without abandoning your goals.
