by Bret Smith CPT, B. A., B.S. | Move Strong Studio
he time of year is upon us where the beginning of the fall and winter holiday season has arrived. Ushering in the coming winter months we celebrate the vanquishing of ghosts with All Hallows Eve followed by the day of Thanksgiving and culminating in the season of giving and the New Year. Our focus turns toward family, travel and friendship as we join together to honor our traditions and the spirit of celebration. Hard to imagine a better time of year! This also happens to be the time of year that challenges our commitment to staying fit, eating well and staving off the temptations of overindulgence.
The revelry of the season can drastically take us out of normal patterns as our bodies absorb quite a blow with excess food, drink and lack of regular activity. We all understand stuff happens and we tend to allow ourselves the guilty pleasures in exchange for the idea that the New Year will bring on a whole new healthy way of living. One problem… the strategy we use is broken. We are blessed every year with the opportunity to celebrate and enjoy the togetherness and joy of the season and why should we not? The course of humanity flourishes every time we are presented with opportunities for reflection, spirituality and kindness. We are capable of both enjoying the season and keeping our indulgences in check. We just need a better plan.
We continue the cycle every year and soon enough by late winter and early spring all the good intentions have been left for not. The solutions are easy in theory yet more challenging to implement as each year passes. To start, I would like to suggest one method to make each holiday season easier on you and better for your body. Keep a good schedule of parties, vacations and time commitments on a calendar. The more you have on a written or electronic calendar the less hectic and frenzied your days will be. Right down to the minutes needed to accomplish daily tasks keeping your calendar straight and sticking to it will help manage time and keep other stuff from happening that takes you off your game. Give it a try this year and see how you do. Notice I mentioned nothing about what to eat, when to exercise etc. These are the parts of the puzzle for you to put in place and make the best choices possible. Keeping in mind that better eating, regular activity and plenty of rest are commandments that need to be the focal points of daily living no matter what time of year it is! Now go plan your calendar, stick to it and keep the good stuff happening and reduce the bad stuff from creeping in!
Remember your training!
