Don't skimp on sleep during the holidays

Oh, the holidays. The most wonderful time of the year for everyone except, maybe, for dieters. ’Tis the season of goodies, endless to-do lists, gatherings and monster traffic jams. That makes it harder than ever to squeeze in workouts and meal prep. For most people, the holiday season is the most challenging time to stay fit. But guess what? It’s possible and totally worth it.

Imagine: all year, you sweat and sacrifice hours in the gym, with relentless effort. You prepare your own healthy food regardless of how much time it takes. You say no to sweets, junk food and excess snacks even at gatherings that seemingly matter. But come the onslaught of Christmas parties, you begin to slip little by little. Sure, it’s all right to indulge a bit, but left unchecked, months of progress could be derailed in a few weeks. That’s the harsh truth.

We bust the myths and the biggest excuses of why people let go during the holiday season and how you can keep on track with your fitness goals by consulting coach Culver Padilla. He is known for making celebrity transformations happen such as that of Raymond Gutierrez.

“If fitness is really your lifestyle, holidays will be like just an ordinary day,” claims this celebrity fitness coach.

• Plan ahead. “Set a goal. Create a plan. And be committed to that plan. Flexible on the how, focused on the what,” says Coach Culver. Before the holiday season even starts, figure out what derails your fitness plans and find ways to prevent them and minimize the damage. Schedule your workouts ahead and stick to them no matter what. If parties or reunions will start taking up your evenings, plan to work out in the mornings for the duration of the Christmas season.

• Don’t skimp on sleep. With the crazy schedule, it’s easy to neglect getting enough hours of quality sleep. Don’t. Sleep is the time that your body recovers and regenerates. Getting enough sleep is one of the simplest ways to stay fit during the holidays

• HIIT it. Ditch the long workouts for this season and switch to efficient, time-saving workouts such as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) twice or thrice a week. This will burn just as much calories as longer lower-intensity workouts and save you some precious time.

• Set a December goal. Don’t wait for January to make those resolutions. Set a short-term goal that you want to accomplish for the last stretch of the year to make sure you make the most out of your training over the holidays.

• Stay fit while traveling. While you enjoy your holiday leave, make the most of the opportunity to be active as you travel! “Traveling, by itself, is already a way of staying active,” says Coach Culver. “What you do during travel spells the difference. If you travel to explore, always ready for adventure, for sure there will be a lot of walking, stair climbing, standing and moving around that will happen. If you travel to chill and just stay in your hotel, then no calorie burning will transpire.”

• Practice mindful eating. You don’t need to strictly diet during December. Just keep everything in balance. Snack wisely – limit sugar and carbs from too much treats. For meals, balance them out with protein and vegetables. Don’t forget to drink enough – water that is. “Always drink lots of water. Hydration is key,” Coach Culver reminds.

• Have a clear mindset. Mindset is very important when it comes to holiday eating. “Try to avoid binge eating. Just eat the food that you don’t normally eat,” explains Coach Culver. “To be honest, as long as I won’t be in a carb coma, I indulge with almost anything over the holidays – but only in a small amount,” he adds.

With these simple tips added into your daily routine, you will be able to navigate the holiday madness and stay on track for your fitness goal. Above all, never forget that this is the time to be grateful and bond with your loved ones – so enjoy!

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Post me a note at mylene@goldsgym.com.ph or mylenedayrit@gmail.com.