Keeping fit and healthy throughout the year is a difficult enough task without the holidays getting in the way, but they always do. After all, who wants to spend their time working out and eating healthy when everyone around them is relaxing and enjoying their favourite meals?
Luckily, many experts believe that taking a week-long break from the gym every now and then is actually very good for you, and could even be considered essential! So why not make the most of the Christmas season and take a week off from the gym to enjoy yourself and rest your body? The important thing is to get back into it right away after Christmas, so be sure to follow our tips below for getting fit after the holiday season.
Why Should You Take a Break from Working Out?
We all know that we shouldn’t work out every day, and that rest days are essential for muscle recovery, especially the health of our organs, but did you know that taking a full week off from exercising can actually be hugely beneficial? And no, you won’t lose all your gains in a week.
Taking a week’s break from the gym gives the body time to properly heal and rest, while boosting your energy, metabolism, healing tired muscles, and lowering inflammation throughout the body. Also, heavy exercise increases the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in the body, keeping us perpetually hyped up – taking a break can give you a rest from that, too.
How to Get Fit Again After the Holidays
Taking a week off from working out might be a good thing for your body and even your mind, but what about your motivation? The biggest difficulty many people have after taking a break from their fitness routine is finding the motivation to get right back at it, and not let that single week off turn into months. This can especially be true after Christmas when we all tend to indulge a little more than usual!
Here are some tips for getting back into your fitness regime after the holiday season, especially if you’ve taken a break, not just from exercising, but from eating well, as well:
- Start by getting your eating habits back on track – diet and exercise go hand-in-hand, and eating well can be an excellent way to get your mind right for exercise. Be sure to eat plenty of green veggies to start getting rid of that Christmas bloat.
- Create a habit of having a healthy morning routine – get up at the same time every day, eat a good breakfast, and get in a workout before you start your day, even (or perhaps, especially) if you are still on holiday. It will set you up for a motivated and successful year ahead.
- Rebuild your exercise routine in a realistic way – don’t try to jump right back in where you left off. Give yourself time to adjust, and to remind your muscles what they are capable of. Skipping this step could lead to injury, which will take far longer to come back from.
- Create a realistic routine for both your diet and your exercise – one that you can and will stick to, and that you can maintain once you go back to work after the holidays. Doing too much will only leave you demotivated once your life goes back to its normal busyness.
- Choose sports or exercises that you love. Trying to do too many things that you don’t enjoy will only set you up for failure. The more you enjoy your workout, the more likely you are to repeat it and keep going.
- Drink lots of water – it is essential for health, muscle building, and to keep your body feeling fit and healthy, which makes it easier to keep up with your exercise regime.
- Get plenty of good quality sleep – your brain, organs, and muscles can’t function optimally without it, and it will improve many aspects of your life, including your fitness.
- Find a partner to exercise with – keeping yourself accountable to someone is a surefire way to make sure you do what you intend. Having an accountability partner is a great way for two people to keep themselves and each other in check.
- Your physical health is not the only aspect of your life that is important. Be sure to take care of your mental health, as well, by speaking to someone if you need to, keeping track of your finances, and looking after the aspects of your life that bring you joy.
- Be careful of fad diets and quick weight-loss plans. After indulging in all the Christmas meals and treats, you may be looking for fast methods to help you bounce back to your eating regimen and routine from before the holiday season. It is important to allow yourself time to rebuild your strength and motivation, as fad diets or quick weight-loss plans usually don’t have any long-term benefits.
While you are prioritising your physical well-being, be sure to be mindful of your financial health. Remember, Debt Movement is always here if you need any assistance in keeping track of your finances.
Taking care of your financial health is very important, as it leads to improved mental health, and can even affect your physical health. Don’t let Christmas stress you out – allow yourself to take a break and enjoy it. If you are struggling financially this holiday season, please contact our non-judgmental team at Debt Movement for caring and understanding debt guidance and solutions.
