It’s that time of year where the holidays are upon us, the weather is cooler, and there is an increased amount of time spent with family and friends. However, this is also the time of the year where people unfortunately began to put their health & fitness on the backburner. With all of the traveling, Christmas shopping, and family gatherings occurring, people often feel justified in not making their health a priority and citing lack of time as the reason why they are committed to exercising or eating properly. As you may or may not know, November and December are notorious months for weight gain in the United States where a huge percentage of our population will increase their weight by 3 – 10 pounds.
Wow – Can you believe that?
But lucky for you that you are reading this article right now because we are going to help you to stay focused on your fitness goals during the “season of indulgence” because we want you to be proactive and not reactive with your fitness journey.
Don’t be among the thousands of people across the country that rush into a gym and/or to a Personal Trainer when January 1st comes around just because of a few (or several) months where you thought that you were “too busy” to exercise.
Instead be the person who didn’t stop making their health & fitness a priority and finished the year off strong and created momentum going into 2019.
Every year, the most common New Year’s Resolution is, “to lose weight” and not that there is anything wrong with that resolution at all. In fact, that is a fantastic goal to have. However, forward thinking will set you up for a longer term of fitness success.
Stay focused through the holiday season and beyond:
Set a Schedule
Contrary to popular belief, your workout does not have to be an hour in order to be “worth it”. If you only have 20 minutes a day to exercise, then exercise for 20 minutes and aim to make it as efficient as possible by making every single minute count.
Drink plenty of water
Drinking an adequate amount of water helps to break down the food in your system and also helps to suppress your appetite. Both of these are critical in the world of fitness success.
Exercise (Stay Active)
Exercise definitely has to be habitual. Aim to make exercise as natural as brushing your teeth every single day. When possible, wake up and exercise first thing in the morning. You’ll find that you will be more energized and better equipped to get through the rest of your day. Even if you cannot make it to the gym to workout, always still do something active. Your activity of choice could be as simple as walking your dog after dinner.
Partner Up
Find somebody that you want to build an alliance with. It’s always good to have the support of a friend or family member when beginning an exercise regimen. This strategy is good because you can motivate each other to eat right and keep working out even on the days where you don’t feel like doing so.
Moderation is Crucial
Know and accept that it is ok to have a glass of wine or to eat a piece of dessert this holiday season. However, just be sure to try having just one glass of wine or having just a small piece of dessert and not going back for seconds (or thirds). Practice some self- restraint and your body will thank you for it later.
Take care of yourself
Acquire 30 minutes of quiet time per day. Meditate, read a book, or just relax. This type of exercise helps to keep the mind sharp and a strong mind equals a strong body!
Be Realistic
Don’t forget that you are human. It’s okay to give yourself a little bit of leeway this holiday season. Don’t set the bar so high for yourself that you set yourself up for failure. Accept that on some days that unexpected things will come up and you may have to reschedule your workout or miss it all together. When that happens, don’t be disappointed – Just be flexible and work around it.
6-Week Full Body Home Workout Program:
Consistently perform the following exercise program on your Total Gym 2 – 3 days per week for the next 6 weeks for optimal results!
Chest Press
Sit up straight with good posture facing away from the Total Gym Fit. Grab onto the handles and push out directly in front of you to complete your first rep, then you repeat the exercise to complete the set. Now repeat that motion to complete the 1st set. Remember to press out fast but to come back in slowly to control the movements and maximize the muscle contractions. Repeat this sequence to complete the first rep and then you repeat the exercise to complete the set. (2 Sets of 12 reps)
1 Legged Regular Squat
Sit upright with your butt as close as possible to the bottom of the seat with one foot on the platform and the other leg lifted in the air to the side of the platform. Proceed to squat on the one leg that is on the platform by going down slowly until you feel engagement in the quadriceps region of your leg, then press to lift your body back up to complete the rep. Repeat this sequence to complete the first rep and then you repeat the exercise to complete the set. (2 Sets of 12 reps)
Upright Back Rows
Sit up straight with good posture facing the Total Gym Fit. Grab onto the handles and begin to pull them towards your body with the goal of getting your hands lined up with your chest, then come back out to complete the rep. Now repeat that motion to complete the 1st set. Remember to pull in towards your body fast but to go out slowly to control the movements and maximize the muscle contractions. Repeat this sequence to complete the first rep and then you repeat the exercise to complete the set. (2 Sets of 12 reps)
Curls
Sit up straight with good posture facing the Total Gym Fit. Grab onto the handles with a closed fist and begin to curl your hands up with the goal of getting your hands lifted up all the way to your chest. Curl up fast, then come back down to the starting position slowly to complete the rep. Repeat this sequence to complete the first rep and then you repeat the exercise to complete the set. (2 Sets of 12 reps)
Leg Raises
Lay flat down on your back on top of the sliding set with your arms fully extended above your head to grab onto the Top of the Total Gym Fit with your hands facing one another. With your arms fully extended and your body stretched out, begin to lift your legs up simultaneously as high as you can to form the letter “L” out of your body, then slowly lower them back down. Repeat this sequence to complete the first rep and then you repeat the exercise to complete the set. (2 Sets of 12 reps).
