Survive or THRIVE Through The Holidays.

One of the biggest challenges we face in our health journey is staying on track when the holidays hit. So how do you stay the course and do it successfully? This guide will provide some of the tools necessary to help you be your healthiest self wherever you go.

Here are some ideas to help you enjoy time with the family while keeping your goals on track:

Mindset:?"Decide whether you want to stay on track (maintain) or potentially lose your progress."?Create a short list of all the challenges (big meals you're going to have) and create action plans for them and build them in.

Habits:?To stay on track, your habits must be robust enough to withstand different environments. The body loves routine, and as much as your travel or holiday is a break from your routine, sticking to your healthy routine is a good idea. For instance, if your first habit of the day is to get hydrated, stay on top of that wherever you are. Collecting wins in the morning will help set you up for later success in the day. Watch for boredom. We're so stimulated in our day-to-day lives that relaxing for the holidays may become boring; that's when snacking occurs (also extra).

Exercise:?A break from the gym is sometimes a great idea, but don't let the holidays be an excuse not to do any exercise. If you have access to the gym, even a 20 min circuit will do the trick to maintain your fitness levels. If you don't, creating space in your hotel room or wherever you are staying and doing a sequence of body weight movements or doing some yoga will work perfectly. Don't have the motivation to get to the gym by yourself, hire a coach (insert form here) or book a group exercise class like F45 or Barry's to keep you accountableSticking to your program is possible, but it's going to take some extra preparation. You'll have to first research gyms or facilities where you are travelling to that can accommodate your plan. Adjust your schedule to ensure you have the time to complete it. Because if you decide that before your trip, you're going to commit but then fall off, you'll inevitably experience unwanted guilt.

N.E.A.T (Non-exercise activity thermodynamics):?This is an underrated tool for keeping up with your fitness. Try and go on family hikes or walks to hit daily movement goals. Especially after meals, it's great for lowering blood sugar and aiding digestion.

Diet:?Part of the holidays is "breaking bread" with family. Enjoying food with loved ones is a form of health. Because you're out of your routine, portion sizes might not be the same, and food choices will be different. I'm going to suggest two options.

1. Window Eating: Window eating is defined as only eating between certain hours of the day. Intermittent fasting (16:8), where you fast for 16hrs and eat for 8hrs, has been popularized but for these purposes, 14:10 will work well. If you know you're having a big meal later in the day, keep your meals few and small, so the bulk of your calories are toward the end of the day.
2. Tracking your food via an app such as MyFitnessPal. With these apps having a vast library, you'll be able to track almost any food anywhere you go. This will hold you accountable and give you a fairly precise overview of your intake.

Stress:?Use this time to maximize rest and recovery. Chances are you're overstressed and under-slept, and the holidays are a great way to recover and restore. I've seen cases of people who go on vacation, and when they come back, they look better all because their stress hormones dropped while they were away. You have time, go for those morning walks (added N.E.A.T), start that meditation practice you've been meaning to, express gratitude for the opportunity to visit new cultures, meet new people and spend it with your people.

Hope this helps, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Coach M