
As the year draws to a close, we’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has been part of PentaLife this year.
We have all been through challenging times and there are sure to be many more ahead, but it’s inspiring to see so many of our members prioritising their health and fitness and discovering that time spent in the gym can actually help to alleviate some of the stress that life is continually throwing at us!
It would be very easy to stop working out right now because of the many Christmas socials or to reach for the festive comfort foods every single day – they are literally everywhere!
But sticking to your fitness routine and making healthy food choices can make all the difference right now and mean that you won’t have that typical feeling of having to start all over again in the New Year.
Sure, you might miss the odd workout and eat a little more processed food than usual, but those can be minor speed bumps as opposed to a total road block!
To help you through, here are a few simple strategies to try over the next couple of weeks.
1. If your diary is looking pretty busy, sit down and book in your fitness sessions and mark these as non-negotiables. Let your family know that they are happening, whatever it takes!
2. On days when you know you’re going to be having a huge family feast, eat a bit lighter earlier in the day, then don’t worry about having a bit extra at the big meal – enjoy it! It’s more important to be generally consistent with healthy eating than absolutely rigid at all times.
3. Eat well around the celebration meals. If you know you have three big meals planned over the next few weeks, try to balance them with healthy, nutritious meals on the other days. Eat lots of fresh vegetables and lean cuts of meat and try to limit the sugary, highly-processed snacks that are always around at this time of year.
4. Be moderate with alcohol – especially sugary drinks. It can be easy to drink more as you navigate all of the Christmas catch-ups but binge drinking and overeating can do some damage and derail progress towards your goals. Enjoy yourself in moderation. Need motivation to do so? Offer to be the designated driver or schedule a workout for the next morning and you’ll have a reason to keep the booze in check.
5. Make fresh vegetables a part of the big meals! You can absolutely enjoy the best treats of the season, but so many healthy options are also truly delicious. If there are a couple of healthy items on the table, that’s a great result. Look up some nutritious recipes and perhaps you’ll discover a dish that will be a new holiday favourite.
6. Drink plenty of water. This will help to keep cravings for Christmas treats at bay and also flush excess salts and preservatives out of the system from any of those processed foods.
7. Try to maintain some sort of purposeful movement every day, even if you can’t make a workout. Go for a walk… dance around the kitchen to Christmas tunes whilst cooking dinner… hand deliver your Christmas cards on foot – whatever form it takes, just keep moving!
If you’d like to have a chat with us about how we can help you with your health and fitness goals in the longer term – book an appointment here.