The Holidays Are OVER! Now Back To Reality!

by Marlene Harris, NSCA-CSCS

Despite the best of intentions, the winter holiday season is especially challenging for many people when it comes to health and fitness efforts. I tend to see the same patterns year after year: nutrition in the tank due to all the holiday parties and meals, exercise has come to a screeching halt due to holiday-related events and prep activities, weight gain creeping back into the picture, and a fair amount of guilt over it all. Here’s a quick start guide to getting back into your health and fitness game in 2019!

1). Gut the Guilt! You did what you did over the past few months. Like 2018, that’s now in the past. No amount of guilt, remorse, or angst will change that. Today is not only the first day of a shiny new year, but you can also treat it as the first day of the rest of your life and just move forward. It’s impossible to steer ahead into a bright future while your eyes are peering in the rearview mirror. One last thought; if you’re feeling guilty, perhaps your strategy and approach to the holidays could use some updating. Get cranking on that now so you can get a better outcome next time.

2). Move it! In terms of physical activity, it doesn’t matter what you do today, just do SOMETHING! A short walk, a long one, pick up that dusty kettlebell and toss it about a bit (carefully…), play catch with the kids/grandkids, do high-knee marches around the house like some over-zealous leader of a New Year’s parade…just do some dang thing physical and get yer arse moving again! You know you need it! Your body will thank you for it, and you’ll be pretty proud of yourself for having done so as well. So, move already. Now would be a good time.

3). Start Eating to Live and Stop Living to Eat! As previously stated, the holidays are now OVER, done, caput, ceased, finished. Time to stop catering exclusively to your eyeballs and taste buds, family/peer pressure, and childhood memories, and start catering to your health, energy needs, and fitness/improvement goals. You know what healthy food is (and isn’t). Take off the sparkly holiday fantasy pj’s, get in touch with your real-world inner adult, and renew your commitment to healthful eating. Today. Not tomorrow. TODAY! 

That is all. This has been a public service announcement. Now get after it! 😊