Keeping In Shape This Holiday Season

The Holiday season is notorious for a number of reasons, especially its seemingly natural discouragement of physical activity (and of leaving the house in general) in place of family time, parties, and shopping. This general aversion to physical activity can make our distance from the sun initiate anything from sleep difficulty to more serious symptoms of depression or seasonal affective disorder if we’re not careful.

On top of that, as our metabolism combats the decrease of temperature, your system works itself a little harder to compensate and burns more calories. In an effort to combat some common issues for health-minded residents, Patch spoke with a few local trainers to gather tips concerning exercise, diet concerns, and the like.

Schedule Workouts Like Appointments

Make sure you’re scheduling your workouts, “…just like an appointment in your appointment book,” Said Hall of Fame gymnast Carolyn Destache of the . “That’s the best way to go about it, especially during the Holidays when there’s a tendency to blow it off. And I think making an appointment, to tell yourself you’re going to do it at such and such a time is important.”

“A lot of people give up during this time of the year because they think if they don’t stick to their regular routine they’re going to fail completely," Said Tara Cohen, Nutrition Specialist and Personal Trainer at Fitness Together in Whitefish Bay. "My advice is not to be so hard on yourself. Forgive yourself if you go out to dessert and have some drinks with friends, because the Holidays aren’t part of anyone’s normal routine, anyways. I would also try exercising with a friend or a family member, since having them hold you accountable keeps that element of discipline intact.”

“Think of your metabolism like a fire," Destache said. "When you go to sleep, the fire goes out, and you need to regenerate that fire by adding wood to it (or food, or nutrition to your body) – so that’s a good way to think about it."

“Amidst all these big meals and Holiday parties, sometimes people feel like they’re not participating if they don’t eat food X Y or Z, or aren’t drinking as much in social situations," Cohen said. "The thing is, even if you’re trying to keep calories off, nobody really notices if you substitute water for something else on occasion.”

Be Careful With Morning Workouts

If you’re working out in the morning it’s absolutely critical to eat breakfast beforehand. It may not be a full meal but it’s something that’s going to give you some fuel. It’s like running on fumes.

“Working out on an empty stomach is not really beneficial,” Destache warns. “It can also be kind of hazardous.” Skimping on calories before serious exercise can make your body turn on its panic button, in turn producing fat to compensate for a lack of calories, and thus potentially doing more harm than good in the end.

Find Your Own Rhythm

While this quote works great for a lecture about self-discovery, Destache means it on a literal, physical level. Our bodies have a rhythm to them and finding that rhythm can make getting (or staying) fit go by a lot easier – giving your body time to digest beforehand, making sure you’re not too tired, et al.

Destache also recommends eating some protein and/or carbohydrates prior to working out, as these sources of energy tend to process rather smoothly regardless of what kind of exercise you do. Adhering to this can prevent headaches, side-aches, and nausea on account of working against your own rhythm.

“I’m somebody who works out between 8 and 10am,” she says. “When I try to work out in the evening, I get tired, lethargic…so finding a time that works best with your rhythm is often key.”

Avoid The Monotony of Routine(s)

Even the best informed athletes get bored with their workout sometimes, but avoiding the plateau effect can be hard to deal with but with some small, simple changes to a routine can make quite a difference.

“I highly discourage workouts that are too rigid or regimented,” Destache said. “You need to find [exercises] that are [are] different whenever you can.”

When your brain recognizes patterns or routine, it won’t be long before it starts to plateau. Just as when you eat the same foods over and over, without variety in your routine it can be very hard to challenge your body. Simple things like raising the incline on the treadmill, adding a run/walk, or using a new machine (at the gym) can do wonders for your psyche in that way.

Food Choice Is Key

Finding a variety of different foods, as well and eating fruits and vegetables, is perhaps the biggest part of the equation for trainers.

“During the winter people tend to not grocery shop and such, and we don’t see all the fresh fruits and such as much in December," Destache said.

"But it’s really important to continue eating fruits and vegetables," She added. "It helps your immune system, which is an important feature. For example, having an apple and a peanut butter sandwich is usually a better option than a granola bar that’s loaded with sugar.”

Limit Food Choices But Don’t Deprive Want

With regard to parties and food, if you make a choice pick one or two things and indulge in those one or two things instead of trying everything. “…just so that you’re not depriving yourself of something you want,” Destache said “Instead of trying everything on the buffet, pick maybe one or two things.”

“If need be, make lunges your friend at these Holiday parties,” Said Kevin McAllister, trainer at the Wisconsin Athletic Club. McAllister says lunging around at the Holiday parties and being the life of the party can bring small rewards in this way by keeping your body moving, keeping your heart going steady. In addition, he recommends not treating the Holiday as time off (regarding exercise), and to just keep going.

Stay Hydrated

Keeping hydrated during the Holiday season by drinking lots of water will keep you not only feeling “more full” but is a great tool for keeping healthy in general. Much like the properties of fiber, water can help lift away fats and impurities as it flushes out your system.