How to Make and Keep Holiday Fitness Goals

With the turning of the leaves and the chilling of the air, the fall season has come upon us again. Halloween is just around the corner to be followed by Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. It can be a great time of year with celebrations, parties, time off of work and family gatherings. Unfortunately, it can also be the time of year that you slack off of your exercise and healthy eating plans. It never fails, because of your busy schedule with holiday plans, vacations and school shows, you put off working out and by New Year's you've put on 15 to 20 pounds or more. This probably explains why the majority of New Year's resolutions involve losing weight, eating properly or exercising more. We can all use a couple of good ideas to keep in shape during the holidays.

For one thing, don't be unreasonable with yourself. Even if you are the type of person that eats only salad greens and works out six days a week, if you can't realistically keep up with that during the holidays, don't get down on yourself if you don't. One of the biggest problems facing a lot of people is that they take an all or nothing approach. If they miss one workout in a week, they view the entire week as being a wash and end up missing all of their workouts. Compromise with yourself and plan on getting in three workouts a week at varying times. Sometimes with a busy schedule, it is impossible to keep up with your normal pace. Don't get down on yourself if you are not perfect. Depression can lead to you losing momentum for another workout and eventually you fall down a slippery slope and stop working out completely. Keep up with half of your normal exercise so that it is easier to get yourself going after the holidays.

Nutrition concerns can be a big issue during the holidays as well. With all of the special occasion and parties that you will be attending, sweets, fattening foods and alcohol can knock you off of your healthy diet. Again, don't be too critical of yourself during this time. If you attend a party and eat twelve pieces of candy, make sure that the rest of the time you are eating well. Always eat a balanced breakfast because this is usually a meal that you can always control. Lunch is also an important step in eating well. If you eat two healthy meals a day, it won't be a big deal if you splurge for dinner and dessert once in a while.

The important part of the holiday health survival guide is to balance your physical health with your mental health. Enjoy yourself, that is what the holidays are for, but don't stop your healthy lifestyle completely. Compromise can be your best friend when trying to avoid the obligatory holiday weight gain that many people have become accustomed to.