In my experience, if you have done the holidays right, aka:

-you followed the other tips in this series,

-you enjoyed food, friends, family and some extra rest, and

-you might have even had space for some great exercise and your regular, healthy meals

Then you’re likely aching to get back to your exercise and nutrition routine.

The final tip in this series is to do just that: get back to your routine as soon as possible. Do your best to re-engage as fully as you are able in the days between Christmas and New Year’s, and you’ve got a running start come January 2.

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It’s all in the framing!

One of the least recognized health and fitness benefits of the holidays is the positive constraints they put on you resting and restoring your body.

If you’ve been eating well, exercising diligently and moving towards your goals this fall, that’s great! Taking time over the holidays to deload, rest, and rejuvenate your body could be just what you need to take your exercise and health goals to the next level.

Seeing the holidays as an opportunity to do this rather than a restriction on your routine will help you relax, enjoy yourself with your family and friends, and get back to your normal, progressive exercise process as soon as possible.

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When I say “plan” to overeat and/or “undermove” during the holidays, I mean the mental kind of planning!

Yes, there will likely be days around Christmas and New Year’s when, especially if you have kids, you will be off your regular schedule, around delicious, calorically dense food, and not able to eat or exercise in a way that SEEMS conducive to your goals.

Question: So fu**in’ what???

Are you a bodybuilder prepping for a competition? A model getting ready for a shoot? Are you really so intense about your regimen that other reasonable indulgences around the holidays should be forbidden???

If the answer is yes to any of these, then awesome. You do you.

If the answer is “Well, I’d like to be”, then newsflash: this is a TERRIBLE, self-sabotaging time to start (“Hey Siri, call my therapist.”)

If the answer is no (which it honestly is for 99.999999% of people who might see this), then the best thing to do is just accept that you’re going to eat a little more and move a bit less over the next few weeks. Combine this with the other tips in this series, and you’ll almost certainly come out on top.

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You thought you were going to eat and exercise “perfectly” this holiday season. You’d be stoic and make optimal choices during holiday meals and parties, get all of your workouts in (even on Christmas Day!), and not even lose a step in your fitness through to the new year.

I’m not saying it’s impossible. What I am saying is that perfection is the enemy of progress. It is also the enemy of enjoyment.

For many people, this kind of mindset leads to what I lovingly call “phuckititis” - where someone strives for perfection, “fails”, and then shoots over to the other extreme of behaviour. In this case, that means:

-abandoning all exercise (“I’ll be good again in the New Year!”)

-bingeing on holiday treats rather than just enjoying them

-various forms and levels of self-loathing (the two behaviours above count)

This is me speaking from experience.

Putting some simple boundaries around your food and exercise during the holiday season can help you stay on your fit and healthy routine, enjoy the holidays and everything they come with, and avoid the extremes that keep people in games and loops of shame, pain and lacking progress.

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This universal nutrition strategy applies especially during he holiday season!

Whether you are attending a family holiday meal, a work function or any other get-together that involves indulging in delicious holiday treats, beginning your indulgence without indulging will help ensure that you:

-have fun

-enjoy holiday treats without overly indulging

-avoid the hangovers, bloating, gas and other forms of unwanted pain that can create first-world privilege anxiety around these events

When you arrive at an event, grab a glass of water before anything else. When food options come out, have a few bites of charcuterie (or other protein) and raw veggies before cookies, cakes and candy. Let your biochemistry and good sense take care of the rest.

You might still overindulge. But, hey, t’is the season! Taking on this tip will help you make better choices and enjoy yourself while you’re indulging, and afterwards, when you avoid that typical “I feel like I’m going to explode” situation.

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Holiday Fit Tip 1 - Enjoy It All, As Much As YOU Want To and Can (Consciously)

I love the holidays! This 6-part series is about sharing my experience and lessons learned to help you enjoy the holiday season and balance it with your (perhaps emerging) healthy, fit lifestyle.

The first, and perhaps most important, of these tips is to enjoy the holidays as much as you want to and can.

See your friends and family, rest your body, keep your schedule light, and enjoy the food and fun that comes with the season.

For some people, this might mean a full period of rest from exercise and planned nutrition. For others, it might mean lighter workouts, some extra mashed potatoes and a couple of sugary drinks.

Whatever it looks like for you, this time of year is a space for contemplation, gratitude, family, quiet, and enjoyment of rest. Use it the best way you can and restore yourself for what comes next.

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3 Things You (Probably) Didn’t Know About Your Hamstrings

1. You have 4 of them on each side
2. Three of those four have a common attachment point (on your sit bones)
3. They have the collective ability to move your hips in 5 different directions

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Rest is a key component of exercise.

Whether it’s between sets or intervals, or between workouts, proper recovery and rest are essential to helping you feel, function, look and live your best through exercise.

Proper rest is necessary to allow you to progress and, perhaps even more importantly, to help you avoid injury while doing the thing that is supposed to be keeping you healthy: exercise.

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