With the different things we face in life from actual seasons (depending on where you live) to the holiday seasons, our exercise and nutrition programs get pushed and pulled in every direction. To learn to deal with the different seasons, we must learn the characteristics of some of those seasons.
Holidays
Yes, the “There’s always next year” season. December is the month that pulls everyone into that ‘holiday’ mode. The year is ending, Christmas is coming, sometimes Sallah, and our minds tend to get into relaxed mode. We skip on our exercise because we think the New Year is approaching, and we figure we could just set a new resolution to get fit in the New Year. We also give up on whatever diet we are on because there’s usually so much food laying around that it gets too difficult to stop ourselves from eating. But then at the end of the holiday season, you start hating yourself.
The trick? Why not organize holiday dinners at your place instead? That way you can cook exactly what you want the way you want it. You can cook just enough for the guests you are expecting so that you don’t have a significant amount of leftovers. And if it still gets difficult, implement the ‘I burn what I eat’ strategy. So if you determine that if you eat too much, you must be in the gym doing some extra exercise, you would probably reconsider every time you want to go for that third serving.
And what about exercise? With exercise, the truth is that we just have to change our mindsets. If we see exercise as a lifelong ongoing activity, it may help us when it comes to the holiday season. But in addition to that, we can come back to the theory that when you work out with someone, you work out better. So partner up for the holidays because that way, you get more competitive and reduce the probability of excuses. And lastly, since you’d be attending a lot of parties, don’t forget to dance, dance dance to burn some of those calories.
Winter
The winter a.k.a. “I’m not going outside” season. If you are in a region where it gets cold, you know that it is pretty difficult to make yourself go outside, let alone exercise in those winter months. And if you run outside, it gets even more difficult for you because you have to find a new indoor spot to do your runs.
However, do not let the snow put your workout routine on hiatus. If you are determined enough, head to the gym or an exercise class. If the cold makes you look for every excuse to stay indoors, switch to in-home workout routines. Buy a DVD or search Youtube for some fun workout routines. Buy some in-home workout gear in preparation for the cold months: some dumbbells, a yoga mat, and even a punching bag are some great examples of equipment you can buy at home.
The good thing about winter is that you probably eat out less often so you can limit your diet to what you have in your cabinets.
When the Novelty of the New Year Ends
This is the part of the year that we start giving up our resolutions and facing reality. This is when our exercise routine goes out the window. We start giving up on the strenuous workout goal we had set for ourselves at the beginning of the year, and really, life starts to get in the way.
In this season, one big thing to keep in mind is that to push forward, you have to counter the guilt. As reality gets in the way, we start to feel guilty because we can’t do some of the things we thought we could. And as we get more and more miserable, we get to that point where we’re like ‘Forget it. I’ve so screwed up now that there’s no point trying.’
We can prevent the “Give up season” by not setting such stringent New Year resolutions. Instead, start a good workout program today, and tune your mind to continue on for a lifetime. It’s not a target-then-stop, but a lifetime affair. But if you still find yourself hitting this season, gear yourself up and counteract a negative thought with a positive action. Instead of spending time in self-pity, hit the gym! A good workout is better than none at all.
So what is the summary? How do we beat the tolls that the different seasons of life has on our fitness program? Partner up, Change our attitude towards exercise, and Plan for the seasons. When you are expecting to hit roadblocks, you can prepare appropriately.
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For more tips on exercise or nutrition, visit my blog at http://eightsandweights.blogspot.com or follow me on twitter @eightsnweights.
