December has arrived and we all know what that means—we are tying up loose ends on contracts and scrambling to meet project deadlines. We are finalizing and tweaking budgets and business strategies for the new year. Did I mention that we are also attending and hosting holiday parties and maintaining an upbeat attitude through it all? December is exhausting. We have worked hard all year to meet and hopefully excel at our goals while sustaining a strong business model all the while. This is the time of year when health and fitness goals are moved to the back burner. Promises are made to recommit to a new regime in the form of a New Year’s Resolution. But what if we took preventive measures instead? Let’s rethink our “burn out and rebuild” model and instead challenge ourselves to a Holiday Hustle. Imagine beginning January 2024 feeling ready to take on the year Day 1 without sacrificing the celebrations and stress of the holiday season. The idea of the Holiday Hustle is to maintain both our nutrition and fitness habits so we can stay on track with our health goals.
Part 1: Nutrition. This approach is not based on establishing a strict diet, but to instead follow some basic tips, tricks and guidelines which will allow us to indulge in the festivities without sabotaging ourselves. For example, Eat Before You Leave The House. Holiday parties are not known to offer healthy food options. So take off the edge by eating lean protein before you leave the house, which will allow you to sample the holiday fare and feel full thus preventing overindulging. Don’t Skip Meals. The idea of “banking calories” seems like a good idea but often makes us more hungry and more likely to binge. Skipping meals can also lead to low blood sugar which can cause anxiety and trigger headaches. Instead try eating higher protein meals and snacks throughout the day. Practice Mindful Drinking. If you like to enjoy a festive holiday cocktail, take it slow and savor the experience. That way you can keep an eye on how much you are consuming. Stay Hydrated. Drinking water is an effective way to feel full to prevent overeating and will help to prevent hangover symptoms. (onbetterliving.com)
Part 2: Fitness. Make an effort to engage in Daily 15-minute Bodyweight Workouts throughout the month. My personal recommendation is to take Sundays off 😊 . The idea is to choose workouts that can be done anywhere (in the office, at home, in a hotel or even your in-law’s basement). Change it up so that you’re not working the same muscle group every day. That way you can work out all of the major muscle groups, let your muscles relax between workouts and enjoy the variety along the way. Research suggests that diversifying your workout can contribute to your overall fitness by warding off boredom and encourages you to stay active. Not only will the exercise portion of this challenge keep your fitness regimen on point, but exercise is also a useful coping mechanism to combat the stress of the holiday season. Regular exercise improves our body’s ability to neutralize stress-causing hormones by increasing dopamine receptors in the brain, so we feel joy. Think of that workout like a dose of medicine—when you are feeling run down or are experiencing the holiday blues, a session of exercise may be just the remedy to boost your mood for up to 24 hours! (Friedman, 2022).
So there it is…the Holiday Hustle-a 2 prong attack aimed to protect the last 11 months of making healthy strides. Don’t abandon it all now just for the sake of festivity, feasting and holiday cheer! Join Tycor for our December Holiday Hustle Challenge. Practice mindful holiday grazing at every social event and make an effort to do one 15-minute bodyweight workout 5-6 days a week all month long. Maybe you already have an app that can spit out an assortment of workouts on demand. If not, check out the Caliber Workout App, the Nike Training Workout App (both free) or log into YouTube where you can find a slew of workout options. Who’s ready for the holiday season? Let’s Hustle!
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Sources:
Friedman, D. (2022, 11 2). Stressed During the Holidays? There’s an Exercise for That. Retrieved from www.nytimes.com: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/02/well/move/holiday-stress-exercise.html
onbetterliving.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from 14 WAYS TO STAY FIT AND ACTIVE DURING THE HOLIDAYS: https://onbetterliving.com/holiday-fitness-tips/