Original Post written by Nashley Mattocks, Certified Personal Trainer in Houston, TX

Each day that you get up, you make a choice. This time, choose to start over again. How? Start a new day again with new accomplishments, new obstacles, new interactions, new choices, new activities, and new memories.

NotebookThanksgiving is rounding the corner and as November is flying, December is inching closer and closer. Thanksgiving seems like a benchmark on the calendar for so many random reasons; it’s not the beginning or ending day of the week, but it definitely marks what feels like the end of Autumn. The rush of ‘daily-life’ comes to a halt and the rush of the Christmas season seems to invite itself in with hosting and attending events at any time of day and the inevitable traffic!

I could go on and on with excitement for the holiday season, but instead, as a personal trainer and a student in the Nutrition Science field presently, I am going to go on-and-on about what I’m going to elect “Starting Over Again”.  

What I am about to unleash with managing the balance (the balance that took 10 ½ months of hard work of dieting and working out to only be ruined with 6 weeks of holiday fun), will address how to maintain some sort of balance with time, exercise, cooking, eating, and rest. 

“How do I stay on track over the holidays?” … “I can’t stick to a diet with Christmas cocktails and parties” … “Between working, picking up the kids, carting everyone around to all of the end-of-the-year parties, I don’t have time to cook.” … “We are traveling for days on end to be with family- I won’t be able to go to the gym.”

Every day you will wake up in the season of crazy schedules, to-do lists, cleaning and cooking, cocktail party, cookie exchanges, and family dinners. Each day you have to decide to have a start fresh. This means that you are starting the morning on your meal plan, fitness routine, and positive head space. If there is an event in the evening, continue to go to your am workout and then eat your regularly planned food during the day to fuel your energy, and then look forward to the special event.  From a nutritionist in Houston, Nicole Hauser Ebner, “We want you to enjoy your holiday! Remember it’s a holi-day; not a holi-season”

It’s a holi-day, not a holi-season

Find those special things throughout the season that are special, sentimental, and exclusive to this time of year and enjoy that! Your Thanksgiving meal can have a little bit of baked yams or fried turkey or pecan pie, but don’t waste your 10 ½ months of effort by indulging in Hershey kisses, chocolate chip cookies, potato chips, and fast food, etc. Find the things that you can’t celebrate with all year long and let that be a special item that you indulge in for the holiday. Again, pick out your thing ahead of time , look forward to it, and savor that item, try not to eat grandma’s entire pumpkin pie.

Thanksgiving tableSecondly, try not to restrict your food intake, or “save your calories”; be aware that this can begin the cycle of restrict-restrict-binge. In other words, the finger foods and cocktails from that employee Christmas party on Thursday night shouldn’t be the only thing that you consume all day Thursday.  Remember, every day is a new day. Wake up and start over with your nutrition and exercise no matter what happened the day before. Over-exercising or wearing your body out at the gym cannot undo the binge behaviors, but eating throughout the day can lessen the temptation to restrict until the next binge.

Lastly, be aware that your body can absorb and use more nutrients after you have exercised- the window that you might usually do a post-workout in your daily nutrition. Maybe incorporate your cardio in the morning and then have breakfast after; or maybe you go for an afternoon run, group fitness class with friends or family you are spending time with- and then enjoy your dinner altogether afterwards. If you keep yourself moving and exercising, the cravings for sugars and starches will be less intense. And when the schedule gets packed, try not to ditch your workout first.

Have fun with your workouts

I know I have bias’ because I’m in this profession by choice, but I enjoy my workouts. I enjoy my morning run. My long weekend run with my husband. We enjoy cooking together. Find some things that you can try to incorporate so that you are enjoying your workouts, a fun playlist you’re your ear buds, enjoy some time that is all to yourself. Or bring someone along with you to make it more fun by doing it together such as group classes, yoga, partner weights circuit. The more fun you have, the more you will look forward to it, and then the less likely you are to cheat on your fitness goals over the next six weeks.

Ask to add your friend or family member to your session with your trainer for a partner workout. Check out a local Orange Theory, Hot Yoga studio, Soul Cycle, Run Club or simply find a park with a walking path for a group fitness activity!

Enjoy this time of year with your schedule, with your family and friends, with a few extra vacation days, a holiday outfit or ugly sweater, the cozy nights in with company and the fun nights out in crowds. As my dad has always said- as soon as the trick-or-treaters leave the house, it’s suddenly New Years!

Contact Nashley today to book a free virtual consultation.  If you are looking to lose weight, build muscle, or improve your overall quality of life, a RightFit Personal Trainer will help you set and achieve your health and fitness goals.