How Do You Stay on Track with Nutrition and Exercise During the Holidays?
The holidays are a time for family, friends, and of course, food. But with all the holiday cheer comes the challenge of maintaining an exercise routine and nutrition plan. It can be difficult to do when there are so many delicious treats around. Here are some tips to share with your clients (and to keep in mind for yourself) to help them stay on track with fitness routines and nutrition plans during the holidays.
Don’t Skip Meals
Skipping meals slows down your metabolism. Your metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories and when you skip meals, you’re slowing down your metabolism because your body isn’t getting the fuel it needs. This can actually lead to weight gain and make it harder to lose weight.
Skipping meals can also lead to fatigue and low energy levels. When you skip meals, your body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs to function properly and this can lead to fatigue and low energy levels. This can make it harder to stay active and make it harder to reach your weight loss goals.
When you skip meals, your body starts to crave unhealthy foods because it’s not getting the nutrients it needs. This can lead to overeating and can make it harder to stay on track with your weight loss goals. Instead, plan balanced meals and snacks throughout the day to keep your energy up and your craving for unhealthy foods at bay.
Don’t Overindulge
The holidays are full of delicious meals and treats, but it can be easy to overindulge and consume too much of the foods you love. Here are some tips to help you enjoy the holidays without going overboard. Start your meal with a salad or vegetable-based soup. Doing this will fill you up with fiber and nutrients and leave less room for heavier foods.
Eat slowly and savor each bite. This will help you recognize when you are full and prevent you from overeating. Choose your indulgences wisely. Rather than having a little bit of everything, focus on the dishes that you really enjoy and limit yourself to those. You can also offer to bring a healthy dish. This way you’ll have something nutritious to balance out your meal. Keep your portions in check by filling your plate with a small portion of each dish, and then get up for seconds if you’re still hungry.
Find Fun Ways to Get Moving
Traveling for the holidays can be a great way to see new places and spend time with family and friends. But it can also make it difficult to stay active. Exercise is key to staying healthy and in shape during the holidays. Schedule some time each day to do something active, whether it’s a short walk, a yoga class, or a trip to the gym.
Taking a walk is one of the best ways to get in some exercise while traveling. You don’t need any special equipment or a gym to do it, and it can be a great way to explore a new place and get some fresh air. If you’re visiting a new place, take the opportunity to try something new. Look for local activities such as hiking, biking, or even a class at a nearby gym. If you are traveling somewhere very cold or snowy this holiday season, you can try an activity like ice skating or cross-country skiing. You will just want to make sure that you are using the right kind of gear to keep you safe, warm and dry.
If you’re stuck in a hotel room or on a long drive, you can still get in some exercise. Try doing some bodyweight exercises or yoga in your room, or even just take a few minutes to do some jumping jacks or run in place. Traveling for the holidays doesn’t have to mean giving up your exercise routine. With a little creativity, you can find ways to stay active and have fun while you’re away.
Stay Hydrated
We tend to think summertime is the season we should be concerned about dehydration due to warmer temps. However, it’s just as vital to maintaining adequate hydration during those frigid winter days.
While many of us enjoy the occasional alcoholic beverage at a holiday party, it should be noted that drinking alcohol actually dehydrates you. In order to effectively prevent a holiday hangover, you should be guzzling plenty of water along with your favorite alcoholic beverages at holiday get-togethers. As a rule of thumb, experts recommend drinking one full glass of water for every alcoholic beverage that you consume. You will likely be pleasantly surprised with how much better you feel the next day, all by staying properly hydrated with water throughout your holiday festivities.
The level of humidity in the air during the winter months tends to be much lower, resulting in much drier air as compared to other times of the year. In addition, the air in our homes is also drier due to home heating. These differences in air quality both inside and outside can increase our chances of becoming dehydrated.
It is important that we stay hydrated during winter because doing so helps keep our body temperature at a constant and normal level. When there isn’t enough fluid in the body, this can cause the core temperature to drop to dangerous levels. Hypothermia can set in quicker if the body is dehydrated. Staying hydrated is also helps our immune system fight off colds and the flu, which are more common in the winter.
And of course, you already know (but it begs to repeat), every time you reach for water instead of another beverage, you’re cutting out excess calories. Even some of the “healthy” beverages (like milk, 100% juice, or smoothies) add calories to your daily intake. And we all know that excess calories leads to weight gain.
Where Can You Learn More?
By following these tips, you can stay on track with your exercise routine and nutrition goals through the holidays. Staying healthy during this time of year is possible, and you’ll be glad you did when the New Year rolls around.
No matter what you decide to indulge in, remember that the holidays are for fun, friends, and family. Use it as an opportunity to enjoy everything you have worked on this year and everything you still want to accomplish. It’s never too late to make significant and exciting changes whether that is in your physical appearance, your personal relationships, or even your career. Remember, NESTA is here to help!
There is always something exciting about earning a new training or coaching certification and applying that new knowledge of how you train your clients. This also helps you hit the reset button.
NESTA and Spencer Institute has been helping people like you since 1992. To date, over 65,000 people from around the world have benefited from our various certifications, programs, continuing education courses and business development systems. We are here for you now and in the future. Feel confident in your decision to work with us as you advance your knowledge and career. We are here for you each step of the way.
Click this link to see our complete list of programs (all of which qualify for CEUs for our programs and others).
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