It is December! The joy of buying presents, watching Elf on television, sharing a nice dinner with your loved ones, drinking mulled wine and over-indulging in food is real, but maybe not in that particular order. It is also the time most of us completely lose track of our fitness goals.
Despite the shenanigans at Christmas, it is still possible to hang on to your sexy body and your six-pack.
I came up with 10 ways you can have an absolute cracker this Christmas and still stay on track when Santa Claus is gone.
1 Be flexible with your diet
Let us be honest, you are not going to eat broccoli and fish on the 25th. With so many Christmas dinner parties, you probably aren’t going to be the only one obnoxious enough to avoid the stuffed turkey and the minced pies when everyone is going at it.
Best thing is to power up your workouts in the gym with HIIT training and burn the excess of calories consumed this Christmas by sweating them all out during your training sessions. Compound exercises such as power cleans and deadlifts combined with explosive movements such as box jumps or plyometric push-ups will keep your heart rate high and the fat off your abs.
2 Hydrate before and after the boozy nights, and when you wake up the next day.
If your Christmas party involves washing your meals down with red wine then drinking beer and shots of tequila with your pals at the bar then be sure your body is hydrated to decrease the powerful effect of a hangover.
Drinking a good amount of water before the party is a good idea. Also when you get home, depending on the amount of alcohol you have consumed, you will need a few pints of water to diminish that head spinning effect in bed.
Another great thing to do in the aftermath is to drink at least a litre of water upon waking then a warm tea of squeezed lemon with a pinch of pink salt to get the minerals from Himalayan salt to fight off the toxins within the body.
3 No matter how bad the night was, still go to the gym!
Sweating all the toxins from alcohol out its the key. I'm a firm believer that poor diet is not the only cause of what makes most people overweight, poor liver function plays a big role too. If your body is constantly battling to flush away toxins, chances are that fat accumulation will eventually increase in your body fat cells. Sweating, even in a workout when hungover, will help massively in the long run.
Even in worse cases, you should still be able to train 3-4 times per week.
The neurological state you enter into after releasing endorphins will make you feel less miserable from a hangover.
Another great useful tool is to go for a sauna. That is perfect to open the pores and aid the exit of toxins from the skin.
4 Pay your personal trainer before you spend all your money on Christmas shopping
I'm bias to say that, but think for a moment. January is the time most people are hyper about fitness and training but it is also the time most people and inundated with bills to pay. If you're serious about your training and want to get back on track, it is only fair that you secure your first sessions with your trainer.
The best thing is to have an open discussion about payment but the sooner you're back on your fitness routine, the less damaging the debauchery will be from the end of year celebrations.
5 Take time off the usual routine and do something new
I mean, when was the last time you tried something different?! Yoga? A martial art or even go for a run? Take the time off work at Christmas to do something different.
Yoga class with your girlfriend? I'm sure she will love it. Going for a workout with your boyfriend? Couples who train together stay together. Fact.
6 You can still workout when traveling
You're away on holidays. Excellent !! You're on a beach somewhere; sure you want your tight ass and your six-pack in the best shape by the pool or the beach. Wake up before your breakfast at the hotel and go for a quick workout circuit in the gym if your hotel has a gym. If it doesn't, even a run by the beach will do. It's super hot to be the only hot person in a hotel who actually makes an effort to go train when everyone is pigging out at the breakfast restaurant. Imagine the feeling right after your workout, the feeling of looking great and feeling great?
Most people would like to do that but they're too lazy and you are not like most people.
7 If you have achieved all your fitness goals this year, relax! Take a deserved break
You worked hard all year. A whole year of clean eating and no cakes. Why wouldn't you have a well deserved break with family and friends and enjoy the gluttony of Christmas? There isn't a better time of the year for that and, no need to panic! If you know what you're doing, you know that an awesome physique is not going to disappear in just a few days.
8 Don't start your resolutions in January, start ahead of everyone else, start now.
In other words, stay on track by creating flexible goals this December and rev it up in January. People make the mistake of starting a fitness routine when they feel lazy for over indulging in December. If you enjoy the festive season, but still exercise regularly three to four times a week, when January arrives you will be a lot more focused and rapidly get your game on top again.
See the gyms getting crowded in January and empty again in February? That's because 90% of these people started the year with the wrong strategy. Start now and don't get overwhelmed in the New Year.
9 Enjoy it! Free your mind from a guilty conscience.
Ate a cake? Brownie? Ice cream? Mince pies? Feeling guilty? Stop right there! Enjoy the moment. Christmas is the time where you are reunited with your family, with your weird cousins, that uncle who loves to booze, have fun with them. You might not be all together again for a whole year. Make the most of the moment.
10 Be grateful for the gift of being with your beloved friends and family
Needless to say, Christmas is a time of joy. Time to be with your loved ones, time to reflect on your choices for the next year, it's a time to enjoy being human. Merry Christmas!