5 Tips for the Holiday Season
1.Relax.
Training smart means exactly that. The Christmas break however you celebrate it is nothing abnormal. Its just like a championship meet. Like any other competition, the only thing that changes is our perspective. If you are not a big “celebrate the holidays” person then keep training as normal. If you like to spend the holidays with your family then do exactly that. Enjoy the company of those you love and just….CHILL OUT!
2.Moderate.
The food is on the table. There is loads of it. Variety and sweets and you are going to be doing a lot of eating in the next few days so my advice to all athletes out there is simple. Moderation. You don’t need to count every calorie and feel dreadful for that piece of pudding that you “shouldn’t have eaten” Just be mindful about how much you consume and how often. If it was pudding for breakfast, lunch and dinner then sure, there might be some consequences for those behaviours but for the most part just enjoy things in moderation keeping in the back of your mind that you need to be ready to give your best when full training resumes.
3. Be opportunistic.
If your schedule is blown for what you may have had planned over the holiday break just keep calm. Some weight-rooms need to shut down and staff need to celebrate their time off with their own families too. Your life is not going to spiral out of control because you didn’t get those few sessions in, or you couldn’t lift because its all closed up. Be creative. Take a long walk, a swim, do some stability and some band workouts. Just take the opportunity to exercise when you can. Stressing about missing out is not productive.
4. Easy on the booze.
Catching up with family and mates you haven’t seen in some time usually happens around beers and other beverages, late nights and odd sleeping patterns. Be prepared for this to take its toll on your body quickly. Spread your social catch ups over a few days and drive to 90% of them. This will reduce temptations and your return to training will be so much more effective.
5. Be grateful.
Take the time to thank those who support you and love you no matter how driven, focused and perhaps obsessive you can be at times. An elite training routine does not allow for much holiday freedom or leisure travel time so be grateful to those who understand that. Give thanks and love to those who you love. Don’t hold it back. Positive energy does amazing things to us.
