Surviving the Festive Season

With the holidays upon us, many people find it challenging to keep up our fitness routines and sensible eating plans.  The stress and pressure of the holiday season - (although made in the best of intentions) - tends to lead to over-eating and skipped work-outs.  A course misguided by love and kindness.  All this considered, I’d like to offer some advice on how to stay on track with your fitness goals during this festive time, both nutritionally and physically.  Not all points will apply to all, but I thought it important to cover a wide range.  So here goes...

First off, you need to think smart about what you plan to eat.    

1. Don’t skip meals - People often skip breakfast or lunch in anticipation of a special dinner or party.  However, if you skip a meal chances are you’ll over-eat significantly because you’ll feel so deprived.  Have a small meal or snack before an event and you’re much less likely to over-indulge.  
2. Choose smarter snacks - Don’t be fooled by the Fruit Cake, its a calorie-dense diet disaster. Opt for the candy cane instead. Its lower cal, and lasts longer too.  
3. Be a responsible host - When putting out festive snacks for company be sure to offer an equal spread of fruits & veggies (w/ low fat dips) as well as the chips and chocolate.  Remember darker chocolate is a healthier option than milk or white chocolate.  
4. Options for Bakers - Baking cakes and cookies can be wonderful family traditions which you don’t have to miss out on while sticking to your diet.  There are modern alternatives to grandma’s cherished recipes. You can substitute applesauce for butter, or use Splenda instead of raw sugar.  These subtle switches go unnoticed while reducing fat and calories, and are also diabetic friendly.     

Secondly, don’t forget to work-out!  No excuses.  

The number one reason (#1 by far, regardless of season) people say they can’t exercise is lack of time.  While this excuse is more valid for some than others (I have thought a lot about this and could discuss at great length but not right now since time is most likely of the essence!), even the most diligent of us feel so pressed for time that workouts are sacrificed. Thus, I wanted to offer some tips on how to stay active over the holidays, despite the pressure.

1. Make your workouts count - if you can only spend half your usual time in the gym, then double your intensity to compensate.  Spin faster, run harder, pump stronger, just for that little while. Your trainer can show you how to do it safely and efficiently.  It’ll be tough but worth it!  
2. Create healthier traditions - instead of spending boxing day watching movies or playing video games, encourage more active family traditions.  Ice skating is a cherished Canadian past-time, as well as skiing, snow-shoeing or tobogganing.  If you give these items as presents all the better.  On that same train of thought, if your family prefers the comfort of the living room to the outdoors, games like Twister, charades, or the video-game consoles that require body movement (e.g. Wii - fit, or xbox kinect) will get you off the couch and moving.   
3. Plan more physically active holiday parties - whether its for work/friends/family, throwing a party at a bowling alley, skating rink, paintball field, etc... will still bring people together in a celebratory mood.  You’ll be active while also being fun, festive, and have no mess to clean up after ;) now thats sweet!      
4. Consider the true value of the season, and what that means to your life - I left this for last because I consider it the most difficult point to discuss.   When I ask my clients what that most important factor in their life is, 90% say family.  Its by far the biggest motivational factor that people draw on when struggling to stay fit.  However, these same people will often sacrifice their personal health in order to appease their family members out of love and loyalty.  I understand and respect this.  I also view my role as a personal trainer to help people through this difficult situation.  So here is my personal and subjective advice to get in your workouts thru the holidays:

1. Understand that a healthy family is raised by a healthy parent.  Parents enroll their children in sports because they see the value of physical activity. These same parents also need to recognize how investing in their own health at these same times, have value to their families as a whole unit also.  A strong parent will provide more options for their children via increased self-esteem, better body image, hand-eye co-ordination, focus/concentration and respect/loyalty.  
2. Workouts are great stress busters - No doubt all families are unique, yet, I firmly believe that family gatherings are without doubt, the most stressful life situations we encounter.  Personally, I’ve found that a good workout is one of the best ways to deal with stress, and its (honestly) essential for me to workout regularly to stay happy & healthy, even more-so over the holidays.   As a PT, its easier for me to make excuses to escape to the gym than others, so I wanted to suggest some ways to maintain or perhaps add on some stress busting workouts:  

1. Consider your workout times as important as other work meetings this month.  Confirm them in your work calender and treat them as such.  (E.g. If you tell a co-worker you’re going to the gym at 1pm they’re more likely to pressure you to skip it, as opposed to if you had told them you had an important prior commitment that you could not miss, sorry).     
2. Not all holiday parties have to be committed and attended equally.  One of my favourite social statements is “I need to make an appearance at least”.  Show your face at a party in order to save grace basically.  I never realized the power of this statement until I said it to my supervisor for the first time while working in Africa many years ago.  We had a load of work to do, but also faced many social-community pressures that conflicted with our other commitments (with all due respect).  When I suggested that we should ‘just make an appearance’ and then excuse ourselves, my supervisor looked so relieved it took me aback for a moment.  The point of my story is that while everybody makes it seem so important that you attend every event, its more important that you keep your own perspective.  If a party is from 7-10pm don’t feel guilty for hitting the gym from 7-8pm then showing up to the party.  While I don’t encourage deceit or lying to others, I do not feel excusing yourself for exercise is a bad thing.  Its truly your judgement call alone.  I do know that it often takes creative reasons for getting good things done sometimes.  That’s always a personal decision though.         

I’m going to wrap up this blog now.  I’ve written a lot for anyone to consider, discussed what I truly feel to be important points to think about especially in relation to work and family, and finding some structure (albeit personal) to deal with holiday stress.   I’ve been told its best to separate work and play, but I’ve always found it enjoyable to dump all my work related crap into a big pile at the gym and lay into it. 

Whatever approach you take with the holidays I wish you and your family all the best, and I hope to see you all in the gym or on the field again next year. All the best. 

Happy Holidays!