Thanksgiving and the holidays are upon us. To some of you that’s exciting, to others, that might mean a season of dread and despair. Stress is at an all-time high around this time of year, and on top of that, each of these upcoming holidays has its roots around food and alcohol… definitely a tricky situation for most people.
We’re going to start with an analogy. Do you remember your schooling? Do you remember the thresholds for A, B, C, etc.? Okay, let’s say the goals that you want to accomplish are considered an “A.” That could be body composition, or weight lifted, or accountability achieved, whatever it is, we will classify that as an “A”.
Now, there are 12 months in a year. Most people are chipping away at their goals from Jan through Oct and then the cold weather hits, treats start showing up at work, and before you know it Halloween is here. If we stick to our goals 9 out of 12 months, we end up with an average of 75%. In school that’s a “C”. How do you expect to land at an “A” if you are pulling “C’s”? The short answer is you won’t, you will most likely spin your wheels until January and restart the process all over again.
So, how do we correct this? We start by realizing that we have to be consistent and not perfect. Consistency is the key to fitness in the long term. It’s also important to know that there are going to be situations in life that supersede fitness and nutrition. Major life events or holidays are a great example of when family and friends take precedent. This is okay! Not only is it okay, but in order to make fitness and nutrition sustainable, it has to happen. How do we go about this in a way that is not detrimental to our goals?
The key comes back to consistency. In the days and weeks leading up to a holiday or special event, try to be as consistent as possible. Do your best to make sure your workouts, food intake, and daily activity are all “A” grades. On the day of the holiday or event, RELAX! Enjoy your time with family and friends, fill your cup with gratitude and love. Do your best to stay as active as possible, but if you don’t… don’t stress about it. The day after, try to get back to your normal workout and eating routine and don’t chain the holiday into the following days and weeks. It also helps to get in a scheduled workout the following day.
Using this approach, you will notice these types of things don’t harm your progress. If you are someone who weighs themselves once (or multiple times) per day, expect some weirdness on the scale. The extra carbs, salt, booze, water, stress, and lack of sleep all contribute to a likely increase in body weight. If you get back to your normal routine, that weight will dissipate in 24-72 hours and you will be back to normal.
The overarching point is this: instead of free-styling it through the last few months of the year, have a plan to stay consistent. Enjoy your holidays and time with family and friends… but get back on track the next day and you will notice there is no harm, no foul!
