The holiday season is upon us.  Time gets shorter, food is in abundance, and stress gets off the charts. Every year we see the calendar change, football season comes we know it is around the corner. The weather gets a bit cooler, and we know it is imminent. Halloween comes and bam it hits us. We are knee deep in holiday season. Is it just me or do we start to see Christmas decorations, commercials, etc prior to Halloween, maybe even as early as September these days? But I digress.

Even though we know it is coming from the signs of the season and the calendar, we still seem surprised. And unfortunately, in the hustle and bustle of the holiday some things can go by the wayside when it comes to our health and fitness. It can start with eating the holiday sugary treats here and there, missing workouts here and there to full blown.  “I’ve gotten so off track, I’m going to enjoy the season and get back to it at the first of the year.”

Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that but I know it can. So hopefully here are some things to hopefully help you stay on track during the holiday season.

Quick Workouts

Even though you can’t get to the box, you should still try to get in some exercise. One; it will help your energy balance of calories in vs calories out (calories still matter to a point). Two; it will help you keep your sanity by releasing feel good endorphins during the stress of the party demands, travel, deadlines, over crowded shopping malls, overeating food stress, etc.

Here are some ideas:

• Take post meal walks. This will help with getting in some good low level exercise, plus it will help you de-stress and spend some less hectic times with loved ones.
• Short 10 to 15 minute workouts
  • Warm Up – 3 Rounds 15 Jumping Jacks, Big Shoulder Circles 10 F/B, Big Hip Circles 10 L/R, Air Squats 5
• At Home WODs
  • 10 min AMRAPs (each bullet is a wod)
    • 10 Air Squats 10 Sit Ups 10 Push Ups
    • 5 Burpees 10 Push Ups 200 m run
    • 50 DU(100 Single Unders) 25 Air Squat 10 Pull Ups/Ring Rows
    • 5 Pull Ups/Ring Rows 10 Push Ups 15 Air Squats
    • 10 Lunge Steps 10 Pull Ups 200 m Run
    • 10 Step Ups 10 Push Ups 20 Jumping Jacks
    • EMOM 1 Pull Up 2 Push Ups 3 Air Squats
    • 10 Smithies 10 Push ups 100 m run
  • Other WOD’s
    • 3 Rounds 400m Run 10 Push Ups 10 Air Squats
    • 5 Rounds 200m Run 8 Star Jump Burpees (I know you think they are fun!)
    • 3 Rounds 10 burpees 400m run
    • 20 Lunge Steps 10 Pull Up/Bodyweight Rows 800m run 10 Pull Ups 20 Lunge Steps
    • 5 mile run
    • 5 -10-15-20-25 DU with a 200 m Run in between
    • Tabata Push Ups rest 1 min tabata air squats
    • 12 Rounds 30 secs on 30 secs off Round 1 Push ups Round 2 Smithies Round3 Air Squats. (4 Rounds of each)
    • 100 Single unders 800m Run 60 sit ups 40 Air squats 20 push ups 10 burpees
    • 10x 10 100m sprints walk back for rest
    • If you have a rower you can row intervals 6-8 for 200m rest 20 secs in between. Or you can substitute the row for any run above.
    • Do a 10 minute online yoga tutorial

Whatever you do keep moving, as you will feel better and not lose your fitness over the holiday!

Food Strategies

This is the tough one for sure. Everybody has a favorite holiday food or recipe that they love to share. And that is cool and all, but sometimes enough is enough right. You can only hear, “well it is Thanksgiving” or “it’s Christmas” so many times right.

• If you can try to exercise within a couple of hours of a feast, your body will better handle to nutrients you are giving it.
• Build your plate around a solid protein the size of your fist, then vegetable. Limit your starches to smaller portions. Really try to load up on the fresh vegetable dishes.
• Eat slowly. Eating slowly will allow your satiety to catch up to your stomach. Remember this takes about 15 minutes. So chew your food slowly!
• Eat to 80% full; this can be tricky as it is hard to judge. But if you are eating to 80% full, your satiety will catch up to you and you will not feel hungry anymore. Remember overstuffing leads to well……. overstuffing.
• Keep the sugary snacks to as much of a minimum as you can.
• If you overindulge…..forgive yourself. You are human it happens. Get right back on the sensible eating as soon as possible.
• For more food tips check out he Evolution Nutrition Program powered by Precision Nutrition Pro Coach Email me rob@crossfitwesthouston.com (free for members!)

Find some YOU time.

Even if that you time is just you sitting in the quiet of your room all by yourself, take some deep breathes and let the calm wash over you.

Think about all the great things of the holidays, what it means to you physically, spiritually, and mentally. Enjoy the best parts and minimize the stressful stuff!

You will get through it! We are here to help!