Introducing Rachael...
Hi, I’m Rachael (@healthyhoots) and I’ve been on my WW journey for nearly two years. I lost 35lbs and reached my goal weight back in April and have spent the rest of this year maintaining. In reality that means going up and down a little - but after all, life is for living and enjoying!
Christmas is my absolute favourite time of the year; socialising, fairy lights, spending time with loved ones, mulled wine, turkey and all the trimmings. But, for people on a wellness journey, navigating this festive period (which seems to start earlier and earlier every year) can be a bit daunting. There are parties here, mince pies there and your exercise routine goes out the window.
However, it doesn’t need to be a nightmare! Here are my top tips for keeping on track and active through this wonderful season...
Give yourself time off
Christmas Day is definitely an excuse to go for it and just enjoy this time of year. Do you have Christmas Eve drinks or Boxing Day leftovers? If so, then give yourself a couple of days off-plan. It’s what you do on the days after that count. Don’t get into the mindset of “It’ll be ok, I'll start again next year...” as this could be the difference between maintaining or gaining on the scales.
If you have plans in the week afterwards, just be mindful of portion size, compromising between food and drink, and filling yourself up with a large WW-friendly breakfast before going to a lunch so you don’t get side-tracked by sausage rolls and chocolate!
Keep active
Just because it’s the holidays, you don’t need to stop exercising! Throughout December, I will keep my usual routine, and when it comes to time off work or going home to stay with family, I'll start each day with a 15 minute HIIT workout to get my body moving.
At home you can easily do star jumps, lunges, squats, sit-ups and press-ups as a full body workout – 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest and repeat the circuit three times.
Remember: some exercise is better than none, and this all helps over the festive period where everywhere you look there’s a Christmas treat on offer!
Get the family involved
You don’t have to do exercise alone! Exercising with others is great to keep you motivated. Over the week off, my family and I will enjoy a few walks. I love wrapping up warm and getting out in the crisp air up in the woods! I think walking is underestimated as a fantastic form of exercise as you don’t realise how many Fitpoints you are building up!
Plan for the new year
What better way to start January than with a plan in place?! Set yourself some goals for the year. Will you take up a new exercise? Will you start making more home cooked meals? Will you be doing dry January? Whatever it is that you’re thinking of taking up or giving up, try it before the 1st Jan comes around so that you can hit the ground running.
Also, remember to get back to your WW Workshop as soon as you can – it’s better to know where you stand rather than guess, so you can tackle it accordingly!
If, like me, you love this time of year, then the most important thing is to have a hoot! Don’t restrict yourself from things you want, as you will look back with a negative view of the holidays and the WW programme. Simply be mindful of what you are consuming and alongside this, grab the family and get moving! Happy holidays everyone!