Fitness Friday - Getting through the holidays by maintaining, not gaining
/The holidays are here. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, December equals indulging on sweet and rich foods.
This year the holiday season is compounded by being in lockdown and stuck in our homes. This could lead to more weight gain but it doesn’t have to. Statistics vary widely on how much the average person gains over the holiday season. It ranges from under a pound in a four-week period to up to seven-pounds. Don’t despair, there are solutions to maintain not gain weight through the holidays.
Here’s the lowdown!
Come to the Table Every Day
I’m not calling you to the kitchen table for a fried chicken dinner. I am asking you to accept a commitment to come to the table every day and practice the 80/20 rule. That means committing to being active and eating well 80 per cent of the time. It doesn’t mean applying strict rules that you can’t stick to. Stay away from language such as: diet, cut out, no more, give up and replace it with mindful positive phrases such as: fuel your body, nourish your soul and feel better. We can’t be perfect, there are days when you bake your favourite cookie - mine is shortbread - so I know I will be eating a few shortbreads in December. That doesn’t mean you have to eat a whole plate of cookies. Savour your treat with small bites. If you are making solid nutritious choices for the majority of time, things will balance out. Be mindful and stay away from the all or nothing overindulgent holiday lifestyle.
Move Every Day and Schedule it into Your Calendar
Exercise every day. I recommend picking the best time and plugging into your paper or electronic calendar. Pick a time that you can be successful at. I exercise in the morning when I don’t have meetings and commitments that can sabotage that chunk of time.
Exercising every day doesn’t mean spending two hours in the gym or running 10 kilometers. It means adding some exercise into your calendar every single day. It can be short spurts of 6, 10 or 20 minutes. Here is what I mean and how to achieve it. Take two exercises – a squat and a burpee and make it into a solid calorie burning, heart pumping exercise that also strengthens.
Eight rounds of 20 sets per exercise with 10 seconds of rest in between:
1. Squat
2. Squat again or Jump Squat
3. Walk out Burpee
4. Walk out Burpee or Burpee with a Hop
REPEAT AGAIN:
5. Squat
6. Squat again or Jump Squat
7. Walk out Burpee
8. Walk out Burpee or Burpee with a Hop
Add a warmup up and cool down and it will take you six minutes. Who doesn’t have six minutes? Remember somebody busier than you is finding time to exercise. You can too.
Some days you have more time than others. For example, Monday and Wednesday could include a 30 minute evening walk around your neighbourhood enjoying the holiday lights, Tuesday and Thursday could include a 20 minute workout, Friday and Sunday could include a 45 minute yoga class and Saturday could be a five minute core workout. Switch it up, do what you love and schedule it in every day.
But moving isn’t just about a workout, it incorporates what you do all day long. Set your smart phone or watch with a reminder every hour on the hour. That way you know it is time to get up and climb a set of stairs five times, do a few stretches to open up your chest and back, or walk around your home. Adding short spurts of movement all day long will keep you mobile and reduce tightness in your chest, back and hips.
If you have a crazy day that goes sideways don’t give up, get back to the table again the following day!
About Kimberly Hicks-Ruttan
I am a certified fitness instructor and personal trainer with more than 30 years of experience and loving every minute of it. My philosophy on fitness is making classes fun, challenging, and full of variety. Today, I am passionate about short, intense workouts called Tabata, as well as yoga and I love paddle boarding and skiing.
Connect with her online here.
