15 December 2023
The holiday season is a time filled with joy, love, and sharing. However, many of us look forward to it with trepidation and a slight sense of guilt. Maybe because they know that food will be more important than movement and our fitness goals often take a back seat. Indulging in tasty treats and holiday feasts is great, as long as we don’t negate the hard work we’ve put in in the gym throughout the past year.
We at the Next Level team are at your disposal with several effective strategies on how to find the balance – to enjoy the festive table without breaking your regime.
Building a conscious relationship with food and creating healthy habits is a challenge that many face, especially when they go into sports. Before the holidays is not the best time to start this, but it is the most important time to be able to maintain the habits you already have. It is no coincidence that we start with a few tips to remember while serving the festive table.
Yes, we know it sounds paradoxical to talk about control and holidays because usually, this is the time when we “let it end”. Do it, but still balance your portion sizes. Stop and think if you are still hungry and do you need to eat that bite too, another piece of appetizer, another bite of the bread..?
Because in the days around Christmas, we spend more time around the table talking with friends and relatives, and it is always laden with all kinds of goodies, we tend to eat out of habit – simply because we are at the table and there is food on it. Try to eat until you feel full and then stop. Grab a glass of water, for example, and sip every time you feel like reaching for the appetizer board.
Balance your plate
When filling your plate at holiday gatherings, aim for a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables. Put more protein – turkey or fish, choose whole grains instead of refined carbohydrates, and fill your plate with colorful vegetables.
In this way, you will try everything, but you will also largely preserve the distribution of nutrients that you follow in your daily life.
Whoever said holiday meals had to be unhealthy – greasy or heavy? Rather, make them your own. If you eat light food in your everyday life or cook completely without or almost without fat, apply these habits to the preparation of the festive table.
Get creative by experimenting with healthier alternatives to traditional holiday meals. For example, replace creamy dips with hummus or Greek yogurt-based dips, use whole-wheat flour instead of white when baking, and include fresh fruit in desserts.
In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s easy to forget to drink enough water. Stay hydrated by carrying a water bottle with you wherever you go and set reminders to drink water throughout the day on your smart devices. Adequate hydration not only supports your overall health but also helps regulate appetite.
And a bonus reminder – coffee, alcohol, and sugary sodas or soft drinks do not hydrate you. While you’ll be drinking a solid amount of them over the holidays (yes, we’d bet on that), make sure you’re drinking the same amount of water.
Let’s say that during the holidays we expect you to miss one or another workout in the gym because you are traveling or you want to spend more time with your family and friends. That’s great and we’ll forgive your absence!
However, let’s not ignore your body’s need to get off the bed, couch, or table to freshen up with a little movement. Here are some great ideas to help make getting back into the gym in January less of a daunting task.
Especially if you haven’t been yet, join a class on Cangoo Jumps, Les Mills BodyCombat, Yogalates, and why not spinning? Group workouts are a great way to make new friends, share your holiday binge woes, or find a new party buddy tonight. They not only burn excess calories but also raise the mood and festive spirit.
Don’t forget to check the schedule on our website or app in advance to be sure that the selected class will take place. What’s more, our trainers also like to eat sardines!
Take advantage of the winter weather by getting involved in outdoor activities – ice skating, sledding or building snowmen, strolling through the Christmas markets. These activities provide an excellent opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones while staying active.
While it’s not that hard to steal 2 hours between last night’s hangover and the upcoming third night at the table to hit the gym, we also remind you of the good old home workout.
Create your circuit workout at home using household items. Grab water bottles or storage boxes instead of weights, do lunges or squats while holding on to a stable chair, and use a rubber band for added intensity.
It happens all the time that you forget to shop in advance, but it is necessary for the festive table. Take the stairs down and back from the neighborhood store instead of taking the elevator, and you’re done with your cardio.
If you need inspiration, watch online training on our portal and turn your living room or bedroom into a yoga studio, for example.
Make fitness a family affair by organizing friendly fitness challenges with your loved ones. Set holiday goals together, compete in step-counting challenges, or create an obstacle course in your backyard.
Just see if you inspire another member of the family or circle of friends to continue with the gym even after the holidays – you will be able to have fun and exercise together in the gym.
The holidays are the right time to prioritize yourself. Give yourself peace of mind, rest. Think about what you want and need, what you will strive for in the coming new year.
Make sure you get enough quality sleep every night. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep to aid your body’s recovery and overall health.
What better time to do it than the upcoming holidays, when you don’t have to set an alarm and get up in the dark? Yes, we know that sometimes the festivities go on late and there’s never enough time to catch up with an old friend. However, we believe that everything is a matter of organization of the day and your time. Don’t ignore your needs.
Fight holiday stress by incorporating stress-relieving techniques into your daily routine. Try meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga to calm your mind and reduce anxiety. It’s not as hard as it sounds. Set aside 1 or 2 hours dedicated only to you. You can download one of the many apps with meditative recordings and techniques to help you focus. If nature walks give you pleasure, go out alone, breathe deeply and clear your mind. Read a few pages of a favorite book. Take a scented bath. Sometimes just a few minutes of quality time can reset your body.
Stop worrying about not being able to buy gifts for everyone or whether your New Year’s pie will turn out tasty enough. The most important thing on the holidays is your presence and that of your loved ones, the shared moments, the joy and love between you. Everything else is just minor details.
Let’s not be fooled – during the holidays, none of us is the most sporty version of ourselves, but we are the most fun, the warmest, the coziest, and the most smiley, right?
And that’s the most important thing.
So don’t overreact and overdo it, that way guilt will inevitably overwhelm you. Instead, relax and be flexible. Make a plan for after the holidays so you know you’ll get that done too, when the time comes.
Think about how you will most optimally compensate for those +300 calories that you ate with pleasure at today’s holiday lunch, next week. Make a shopping list with all the healthy purchases you will fill the fridge with after January 1st. Set goals that you will chase in the next year – 3 more centimeters in the circumference of the biceps or minus 3 centimeters in the circumference of the waist, more self-confidence, or detox in the sauna more often.
Whatever you aspire to, you will achieve it when you work hard for it. Now close the list of challenges, pour yourself a glass of your favorite drink, and raise a toast to all that you have achieved in the past year. And it was not small at all! Don’t forget that the big picture is important – that you and your loved ones are healthy, happy, and loving each other. Keeping your goals in mind and working towards them every day – in or out of the gym. To be able to enjoy life in the best way and… always raise the level.
Welcome to your Next Level! 🙂