surviving fitness guilt… 

It’s that time of year again. The sun goes down earlier and wakes up later. And so, the holidays begin to approach. For most, the holidays are a great time to get together with friends & family. This likely means more traveling, limited routines and less time outside. Obtaining adequate physical activity gets harder and harder. CUE the fitness guilt… This guilt often leaves people frustrated that they have not worked out as much or have taken too many days off. It can lead to poor eating habits, bad self-talk, poor quality of sleep, and increased stress. Well today we will talk about trying to neutralize these thoughts and ways to remain active during this time of year. 

As an active person myself, the holidays are always the hardest time for me to stay in a routine with physical activity. It’s easy to get down on myself for missing a few days here and there, but I always remember that social life is just as important as physical activity. The other thing that I tell myself is that one small blip in activity is not going to change all of the hard work I have put in for the rest of the year. Finding grace for yourself is one of the best gifts you can give yourself this time of year! Now, I am not saying let’s all take off the rest of the year for fitness, but we may just need to make it look a little different when the outdoors or our regular gyms are not accessible to us. Here are a few ways to get some physical activity in on days that may not seem possible. 

1. Schedule workouts in your calendar

If you know there is going to be some down time while on vacation, schedule that time in your calendar to workout. If your family is late risers in the morning, get up a little earlier than them to get a workout in so you don’t feel guilty for taking time away from them. Or, if you know that the friend that you are staying with will have to jump on a work call, get in a quick 15-45 min workout. Then, be energized and ready to go when they are done!

App suggestion: To-Doist! Great for time blocking AND bonus dopamine from earning “karma points” when you check off tasks all week!

2. Ask your friends and family to join

A great way to spend quality time while getting in some movement. If you are passionate about staying moving, your friends and family will love to do something together that will make you happy. Plus this is a great way to get others motivated to start their own fitness journey. Whether it be the classic family football game in the backyard, walking a turkey trot, building a snow fort, or trying to ice skate at the local pond, all of these will get your heartrate up even though it may look a little different from your routine. 

3. Get outside on your lunch break

It’s dark when we go to work and dark when we come home from work. However, our need for Vitamin D doesn’t go away! Step away from the monitor, zip up a jacket and head outside for a short walk on your lunch. Even in small doses, vitamin D can improve immune function, energy and mood! 

4. Try at home workouts

Youtube is a beautiful thing with so many fitness videos from cardio, to bodyweight strength, to flexibility and yoga. There are also apps that create at home workouts that will tailor to the equipment you have. I personally use Youtube for yoga and bodyweight cardio videos when I am on the road! 

Remember, this season is about resting and resetting, so allow yourself to rest and give your body the care it deserves! Don’t let the fitness guilt take away from time with friends and family! Stay moving, no matter what it may look like and enjoy all the sweet and savory food that this time of year brings!