Get Your Body Ready for the Holiday Season

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Don’t fall off the wagon with your health and fitness goals before the holidays! Now that we’re three quarters of the way through the year, it’s a good time to revisit your New Year’s resolutions or long term goals, measure your progress, and decide how you’re going to approach the holidays so your efforts continue to pay off. Here are some steps to take:

  1. Set new goals: Are your New Year’s resolutions still relevant? Are they achievable in the time frame you set or are they open-ended with no sense of urgency? Achieving your health and fitness goals may become more difficult once the holidays come, so now’s the time to get back on track and tick some off your list. Here’s my plan: I want to lose 5 pounds and tone my arms by Thanksgiving, since my weight has been creeping up slowly since the summer. I haven’t been as disciplined about scheduling exercise, and I give in more easily to my cravings for tortilla chips and nuts.

  2. Start healthy habits: It’s not too late to make changes to your diet or fitness routine or add new things that will get you closer to your goals. Make sure they’re realistic by taking baby steps to ensure long-term success. Here’s my plan: I will do an Arbonne whole foods cleanse from November 1-27. I’m taking tempting food out of the house, drinking six 12-ounce servings of fluid per day, and prepping meals for the week on Sundays. I will schedule my workouts at least a week in advance: two days of Pilates, two days of resistance circuit training, and one day of spinning. On two days, I won’t have a scheduled workout, but every day I’ll walk the dog. I’m also signing up for Kettlebell Kitchen, which will help me get a healthy meal on the days I have back-to-back evening clients. Have your meals delivered to Crossroads Fitness in San Mateo, and it will be a reward after your workout.

  3. Plan ahead: Decide how you’ll approach the holidays. Will you throw in the towel or find a new way to keep on track? Here’s my plan: I will stay the course through the holidays, being good about 80 percent of the time and allowing myself treats such as salty snacks, small desserts, and a glass of wine. I will do another cleanse in February.

Contact me for advice or help to start a fitness plan. Don’t wait!