D
TRAINING you can have your cake ( or turkey leg )
!
AND EAT IT , TOO
By : Frank Gigante , Natural Pro
During the holiday season , people seem to get more concerned with their eating habits and all of the great holiday treats and meals that often accompany this season . Just observe and listen during this season and one can hear so many “ strategies ” to deal with holiday eating . Some people starve themselves all day so that they can eat at a holiday party later in the day . Others do hours of cardio right before so they can eat guilt – free later in the day . Still others use the New Year as their cut off point and “ time to get serious ” which somehow serves as an excuse to eat anything and everything throughout the holiday season . All of these approaches are flawed and doomed for failure . They are simply a means to justify poor choices or bad habits , most of which probably don ’ t need to be justified anyway .
With some mindful strategies and planning there is no reason you cannot enjoy holiday get-togethers and meals while keeping up with your fitness and nutrition goals . No guilt , no swearing off certain foods , doing excessive cardio , or making all sorts of empty promises starting January 1 . Holiday gatherings are much better spent focusing on connecting with loved ones and friends rather than quietly wasting energy over whether or not you should have another helping of dessert and torturing yourself . That is an unnecessary distraction from what matters most during these times .
THE TRUTH : First , let ’ s gain some perspective on this “ holiday eating ” mess :
Let ’ s consider the holiday season to run from Halloween , October 31 through �anuary 1 and probably the first week into �anuary . That is a solid 2 months , over 60 days . Now in all honesty , we are not eating tons of food every day for each of those 60 days . Even if you factor in holiday parties once a week , we are only talking about a few days out of those months that we may indulge in some feasts . Even more , out of those days , we are only talking about 1 or 2 meals out of the day that we are enjoying some great food . The other meals on those days are most likely are usual foods and meals that we eat on a regular basis . With that said , do we really need to be overly focused on a few meals out of 2 plus months ?
What you do daily for those 2 months will have a greater impact on your fitness and nutrition goals than what you eat at a few meals overs those 2 months . So how do you stay consistent in working on your goals and enjoy your holiday gatherings ? Here are some tips and strategies to keep you going strong through this holiday season .
FITNESS STRATEGIES
Schedule your workouts like you would a business meeting .
The holiday season quickly fills up , not only with family gatherings , office parties , and opportunities to connect with friends , but add in time for shopping , cooking , and traveling and the hours in any given day can quickly become accounted for . Sometimes , it becomes necessary to skip a workout because of other obligations that must become a greater priority . D o not beat yourself up because of it . o your best and move on . One workout will neither make nor break you . However , do not make this the norm . Think of your workout times as a priority . Just as you would not schedule time for shopping or a party during work hours , keep the block of time you schedule for your workout free as well .
This time is not just about lifting weights and working on your physique . Your workout time is a time for you and is needed mentally and emotionally , just as much as for physical pursuits . Coming out of a 30-60 minute workout and you will feel less stressed , be able to think clearer , and plan out what else needs to be done in your day better .
Create a new program that meets your schedule during the holidays .
Time always becomes the biggest issue in trying to keep up with workouts during the holiday season . This is the perfect time to switch things up and create a new workout plan that will still lead you toward your goals , but also fit your schedule . If training 4-5 days per week is no longer practical , create a new program , perhaps a circuit in which the whole body can be worked in each workout and in minimal time , perhaps 30-40 minutes . Splitting up muscle groups into 3 workouts per week may also be a feasible option . The use of techniques such as supersets , or cutting down on rest times , or cardio acceleration style programs can all be used to create effective workouts that will fit both your goals and schedule during the holiday rush .
Plan ahead .
I , for one , enjoy scheduling my workouts so that they fall on the same days each week at approximately at the same time . However , as parties and shopping needs come up during this season perhaps that is not always possible . Planning ahead will help ensure you get your workouts in . At the start of each week , block off your workouts on your calendar around other obligations . Then stick to them . Flexibility goes a long way here . If you absolutely have to meet some other priority during a scheduled workout , then simply look to move that workout to another time or even another day . Be flexible , but continually aim to stick to a schedule and get those workouts in .
Don ’ t count the time , make the time count .
The amount of time you spend in the gym does not directly correlate to what you get out of that time in the gym . Your time is valuable so when in the gym work hard to make the most of it . Rather than being focused on how much time you spend in there , make the most of your time by putting every ounce of energy and effort into everything you do . Be efficient in your workouts . During a set , do not simply count reps to a specific number and stop , but use a resistance that is going to force you to concentrate on squeezing the muscles on every rep and fighting to get into the target rep range . Make every rep count in order to maximize your workouts . Work harder , take less breaks , keep off your electronics , and just focus on your “ you ” time and getting the most out of that workout . It is not about how much time you spend in the gym , but what you do with that time that determines your progress and success . Your time is valuable . Use it effectively and make the most of it every time you set foot in the gym or start a workout .
14 Natural Muscle Magazine November 2016 Celebrating 21 Years !