The Best Fitness Mantra for the Holiday Season

After my recent travels to Paris, Amsterdam, Napa Valley, and a few other quick trips over the last month or so, I have been feeling the need for a renewed focus on my fitness. All those indulgences on wine and food combined with missing my regular workout routine left me feeling slugging. My body was almost craving that I get back in the gym and start feeding it good fuel.

I’m guessing that many of you are thinking about your fitness as well as we approach the holidays. How can we combat the seasonal splurges that are inherent with the holidays?

With that in mind, I asked my personal trainer for any words of wisdom he might share with us this holiday season. His response was surprisingly succinct and simple. He boiled it down to this one key message:

Maintain, Don’t Gain

Hmmm… interesting thought. But I was not satisfied with so few words. I, of course, asked him to expand on his thoughts. How exactly does one successfully maintain without gaining during this crazy time of year? Three key points emerged from our discussion.

1. Set realistic expectations: Don’t set the bar too high. Don’t convince yourself that this is a good time to go on a crash diet and workout for two hours a day. That’s just not realistic given our hectic schedules during the holiday season. Setting unrealistic expectations will only result in frustration with yourself. Don’t be hard on yourself. Be realistic.
2. Something is better than nothing: On the other hand, while you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself, you also shouldn’t just throw in the towel during the holidays. Skipping out on your workout for the next four to six weeks will result in digging a New Year hole for yourself. So, do something! For instance, maybe you can’t fit in a full workout at the gym every day, but you can still do something! Opt to take the stairs during the day and do some stretching and ab exercises at night.
3. Set yourself up for success: Have healthy snacks on hand, so you don’t reach for those holiday goodies all over the house and office. Keep water nearby throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated. Try to get a healthy amount of sleep.

In the spirit of setting yourself up for success, make things easy on yourself. One practical way we women can do that is by wearing clothes that can transition from the gym to a casual night out with friends or whatever. Now, I am not suggesting that we all run around town in workout clothes looking as if we just came from the gym. But there are such fashionable pieces available for the gym today. By changing just a few pieces of the outfit – perhaps the top and the accessories as I did here – we are able to move from one activity to the next efficiently while still looking good!

Disclaimer: that last part was totally my editorial input – not necessarily that of CJ the personal trainer. 🙂

Top 20 “Workout to Night Out” Pieces from Carbon38

Are you familiar with Carbon38? If not, you should be! Carbon38 carries such a vast array of fashion fitness wear that can take you from the gym to a night out seamlessly. Given the huge selection on their site, I’ve narrowed it down to my top 20 picks for you, focusing on those pieces that transition well from activity to activity. Happy browsing!

Details on My Looks

Blanket Jacket from Carbon38  | Leatherback leggings from Carbon38 | Chanel boy bag (similar here) | Christian Louboutin Pigalle follies marble swirl pumps | Nike Free running shoes | Karen Walker super duper thistle sunglasses | Bao Bao Issey Miyake bag | OPI Coca Cola Red nail polish

Do you need more workout motivation? I loved these inspirational quotes from top female athletes that I read on Refinery29.

Do you have any fitness thoughts that you keep in mind during the holidays? I’d love to hear any tips and tricks you may have! Thanks as always for stopping by.

 

Photos by Traci Ling