A Little Too Much Christmas?
7 tips for Getting Back to Training After the Festive Season
Life happens. Whether it's Christmas, the school holidays, illness, or a well-deserved vacation, even the most committed athletes get thrown off track from time to time. The problem with the festive season is that by its very nature, it evolves into a perfect storm of altered routines, indulgent food choices, and often too much alcohol. Then, sometime between New Year's Day and back to work or school, you realise that it has been two weeks since you have done any structured exercise, the meal plan on your fridge is dated Dec 3 - 9, and you seem to have thrown your motivation out with the wrapping paper. Don’t Panic! Getting back on track doesn’t need to be painful or stressful; it is just like starting exercise for the first time, except this time you are not starting from zero, and your mind and body will progress faster because you already know what to do. We have put together a list of tips to help you get back to feeling fit and fabulous.
1. Don’t Beat Yourself Up
This is #1 for a reason. You can't turn back the clock, so don’t regret or wish away the holiday season. Instead, be grateful for the fun times you have enjoyed over the break. YOLO, after all. Take a note from Marie Kondo, thank the good times for the joy they provided, kiss them, and let them go. You can only move forward from here; beating yourself up and feeling guilty will only make you feel worse. Channel your energy into getting back into it in a safe way that feels great.
2. You Can’t Pick Up Where You Left Off
Unfortunately, you will have lost a bit of condition and maybe even put on a little weight over the festive season. That means you might not be able to hit the same miles or pick up the same weights you did back in early December. You need to ease your way back. Rushing it will only result in injury and set you back further. Drop a few reps, pick up lighter weights, or simply shorten your session and build yourself back up slowly.
3. Mix it Up a Little
Try something new
New Year, new plan, new workouts. Returning to exercise is a great time to mix it up a little and keep things interesting. Try out a new class, a fun new activity, or a new team sport. It is all about creating that habit loop, and an activity that brings joy is the ultimate reward.
The Habit Loop from best-seller Atomic Habits by James Clear
Get into nature
Get yourself out into nature, maybe trying hiking or SUP? Mixing in fun activities with your usual workouts helps to keep things interesting and exciting. It also has the added benefit of removing unnecessary stimuli and engaging your brain, forcing it to create new pathways, which helps to stave off age-related degeneration in the future.
Workout Stacking
Workout Stacking is a hot trend in 2023 that we will explore more in the coming weeks. It can be helpful for those of us grappling with juggling new routines at work or home; plus, it limits your workout time so that you don’t overdo it. Grab 10mins before work for Yoga, use the water cooler bottles for 10mins strength training at lunch, and clock a 15min walk or jog after work. Alternatively, stack 10 mins of cardio on top of 10 mins of Yoga and you can tick off your workout for the day. You can stack more workouts or increase the time in each layer as your fitness improves.
Related Article: Fitness Trends for 2023
4. Learn to Love Recovery
Recovery, during and between workouts, is essential to preventing injury and key to sustaining a regular workout schedule. Be sure to work in adequate recovery time between sets, give yourself a little more recovery than you used to. Choose higher reps of lower-impact movements to protect yourself from injury, and take at least 30-60 seconds of active recovery between sets. If your movement of daily living is limited by muscle soreness, then you are not ready for your next workout. Instead, choose a gentle walk, stretch class, or perhaps a swim. Remember, a planned recovery day translates into more injury-free workout days in the future. Listen to your body and titrate your workout plan accordingly.
5. Get Excited
Find ways to get excited for your next workout.
New Gear
Buy some new activewear or a pair of trainers. Lay out your new gear before you go to bed so you’re pumped to get it on and get active as soon as you wake up in the morning. There is so much gorgeous activewear out there right now, there is absolutely something for everyone. Here at FitHer, our current obsessions are Aussie brands Cleo Harper - Hype and The Upside.
Splash some cash
Book yourself into a new class or challenge, the energy of the group will help inspire you to keep pushing forward and if you have paid for a class or a program, you are more likely to attend.
Workout with a friend
Schedule a time to work out with a friend; it keeps you accountable, plus you get to catch up on all the holiday goss, so win-win!
6. Lock It In!
It’s great to have a goal of X number of workouts per week but if you don’t lock in an appointment with yourself it can be easy to put exercise off until the next day, and the next day, and the next day….. Schedule a date and time for a particular activity. Write it on a planner and stick it somewhere highly visible. Ticking the task off serves as positive reinforcement, and you will want to complete the activity again and again.
7. Celebrate Showing Up
Every time you make it to a starting line, congratulate yourself for showing up. 5 mins are better than 0 mins. Some days you just won’t have it in you, but some days you will. You might set out for a 20 min workout but only make it ten, equally a 15 min workout turns into 30 mins just because you feel fit and strong on that particular day. Listen to your body because, ultimately, it's about you and your health and what makes you feel FitHer.