10 Holiday Fit Tips to Jumpstart Your New Year

It’s totally possible to stay in shape and fit forever when you find your balance. Not the same balance that worked for a friend or a colleague – your unique balance for your unique life. That’s why these tips are all about practicing the same balance during the holidays as you should be practicing in your everyday life. No more extremes, no more food comas and no more fad diets to bring it all “back to normal” come the New Year. We’re going to prance through this holiday season cool, calm, collected and (of course) treated.

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1. Write down your goals, again! You should have your goals written down loud and proud and your vision board in site on a regular basis. Take this time (before the holiday craziness catches you) and remind yourself of your goals, how far you have come and how much further you want to go in the coming months and years. Set a good mental foundation and you’re on the right track. Perhaps you’re like me and set a yearly running goal in early 2016, but still have some distance to put in. Reminding myself of that helps me lace up even when it’s cold out. And don’t forget to set your Yearly Running Goal on January 1st – it’s a great jumpstart into the New Year!

2. Stay hydrated
Lots and lots of water to keep your metabolism on fire and your cells hydrated. I have a sticky note on my water bottle and I make a mark on it every time I fill it up. What would you say? Are you drinking enough water?

3. Only say “yes” to your favorite treats
You don’t have to eat every single treat that comes into the office or is offered to you at a holiday party. A great rule for me is: Only eat it if it’s your absolute favorite. My favorite treat of all time is my mom’s chocolate chip, M&M and oatmeal cookies. I look forward to them every year.

4. Make your own healthy treats
Wow the crowd with these delicious and nutritious chocolatey brownies with kidney beans or homemade banana ice cream.

5. Sharing is caring
Bring your healthy holiday treats for your friends and colleagues. First of all, it’s nice to share delicious and healthy treats. Second of all, it’s possible to have too much of something healthy. Even when I make the healthy treats mentioned above, I am probably going to eat it all if it’s in the house. This can really defeat the purpose of saving some calories on a healthy dessert recipe. Forget the temptation and share 🙂

6. Keep up with your training routine
Don’t get too far off track with your training. Of course, it’s important to enjoy yourself, but don’t lose your balance completely.

7. Gear check!
Do you have everything you need to stay fit while traveling and get your workouts in? Runners, don’t forget your sports armband and running gear (clothing, shoes, etc.) so you can lace up and go for a run – basically anywhere! I like to keep a jump rope and resistance bands in my suitcase when traveling to pull out any time for a quick workout! And, of course, there’s always time for bodyweight training with the Runtastic Results app. You don’t even need any gear – just your mobile device (which I am sure you always have with you, anyway).

8. Keep stress low
My favorite unwinding ritual is rubbing coconut oil with lavender essential oils on my feet, the small of my back and my neck and doing some light bedtime yoga. This makes me super relaxed and my quality of sleep so much better.

9. Rest when needed
The holidays can be stressful and it’s totally fine if you find yourself needing an extra rest day. Maybe some total-body stretching or foam rolling is a better idea.

10. Walk it out
Start or end your day (or both) with a walk: Even if it’s cold, the air is super refreshing. Go for a walk before you hop in the car to go to work or before walking inside your house when you return home. It’s a great habit to get into and can help reduce stress and burn some extra fat.

What does your balanced approach to a healthy holiday season look like for you? I would love to read about it in the comments.

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