We are busy. Always busy. There simply are never enough hours in the day and holiday season is normal busy x1000. Your already full plate of responsibilities gets insanely full as you add holiday parties, shopping, gift wrapping, cooking, and traveling. Something has to give because despite all the added activities there are still only 24 hours in a day.
It is no secret that exercise is generally the first thing to get the boot when we need to free up more time. After all, think of all the time it takes to get into your workout gear, drive to the gym, workout, drive home, shower, change clothes and continue on with your day. Even if you workout at home, that precious 45-60 minutes could be spent checking something else off your to-do list. I hear ya.
Now, let me tell you why you want to rethink giving your exercise routine the ole heave-ho this holiday season.
When you give up your workout you are cheating yourself. It doesn’t matter if you’ve only been at it a month or years, a setback occurs when you decide to take some time off at the end of the year. You may be thinking, “no harm, no foul” and “I will pick up where I left off at the start of the New Year” but that really isn’t how it works at all. Take a look…
You decide to take a few days off from your workout routine: That’s fine. The rest may do your mind and muscles good. However, if you choose not to workout and also choose indulge in overeating, poor food choices, and alcohol, alcohol, alcohol, you are going to regret that decision. During this time of year when parties abound, it is more important than ever to continue your workouts.
A few days off turns into a week to ten days: You may not feel too bad about it but on the inside your body is already starting to retain fluid and your muscle fibers that you have worked so hard to strengthen will begin to breakdown.
It’s now been weeks since you’ve worked out: When you first miss a few workouts you actually miss it but the longer you stay away, the more excuses you find not to start back up. After just a few weeks, your cardio endurance begins to wane. You are back to becoming winded more quickly and your body isn’t happy at all when walking long distances, taking the stairs, or doing anything that exerts more energy than normal.
A month has passed: And you feel it! You are not sleeping as soundly, your appetite has changed, and your metabolism is slowing down. All the gains you made in your cardio and strength training is gone. When you were working out you were building muscle and burning fat. Now, you are losing muscle mass and maintaining more body fat. Not good.
I am not saying you’re doomed. Not at all. What I am saying is that you’ve worked hard and should be proud of your accomplishments. Maybe you went from a couch potato to working out 3 times a week. Maybe you just ran your first mile on the treadmill without stopping. Or, maybe you just completed your first marathon. Wherever you are in your workout regime, you worked hard to get there. I would hate to see you have a setback simply because you needed to wrap one more present or address those holiday cards.
So I encourage you to give yourself the gift of exercise. Don’t cheat yourself this holiday season. Your health is precious and something that you cannot put a price tag on. Keep making yourself a priority. You’ll be glad you did!