Holiday Exercise: Make it a Pleasure, not a Punishment
Posted on 12/3/2002
News flash: The U.S. Surgeon General reports that 60% of adults in the U.S. are not active on a regular basis. No kidding! And the number one reason most people don’t exercise is…
Lack of time.
Once the holiday season begins, the lack of time issue will only become more problematic. For most people-even for those who do exercise regularly-this means that daily exercise slips to the bottom of the long list of things to do at the holidays. You know that list: gift shopping, party hopping, traveling to see family and friends…
Here are some ways you can stay on track with your exercise routine throughout the holidays.
Set short and long term goals
A goal is defined simply as what you are consciously trying to do. Rather than drag yourself to the gym each day to “burn off some of that eggnog,” set a fitness goal for the holiday season.
Try writing down what you want to accomplish during the two-month period from November 20 to January 20. Choose a goal such as losing 5 or 10 pounds, increasing your strength, or improving your time in a mile run. Don’t make exercise a penance for the holiday cookies you ate. Make it a personal goal unrelated to holiday revelry.
Your goals need to be flexible and in line with your capabilities, needs, values and available resources. They should be challenging but also realistic. Measure the baseline of where you are now and decide where you would like to be on a certain date in January.
Examples of Fitness Goals
Baseline on Nov. 20
Goal
Body weight
178
170
% Body fat
28%
25%
Sit-ups per minute
32
40
Push-ups per minute
13
18
One-mile run
9:45
8:45
Write down your goal and take ownership of it by signing it-either by yourself or with a workout partner.
Develop rituals
“Rituals are yet another way that you can gain control over your environment,” says sports psychology consultant, Alan Goldberg, EdD. “The familiar always neutralizes fear and bolsters self-confidence,” he explains.
Here are examples of rituals that may work for you:
Have a set time in the morning to work out. Have your gym bag packed and ready to go the night before. Have your workout planned before you arrive at the gym.
Get a workout partner
Some people find that working out with a partner helps motivate them and keep them consistent in terms of getting to the gym. Knowing that someone is waiting at the gym for you will hopefully motivate you on the days you don’t feel like getting out of bed to exercise.
Train for an event or sport
Whether you like to ski or snowboard or whatever, being fit will make your winter activities more enjoyable. Knowing you need to be physically prepared may be the motivational tool you need in terms of keeping you consistent with your workouts. Realizing that all your training will have an additional benefit, other than improved fitness, may also improve your chances of sticking with it.
If you don’t already have something to train for, consider these:
5K or 10K road race
Marathon
Triathlon or biathlon
Sport-specific training (downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, winter basketball league, etc.)
Dry-land rowing regattaz,
So the exercise tip for this holiday season is: find some motivation that has nothing to do with guilt.
by Michael Wood, CSCS
Last reviewed November 2001 by HealthGate Medical Review Board