Training for the Holidays

It is that time of the year again, when those pounds that you worked so hard to lose will come creeping back as you go through your holiday feasting rituals. How do you avoid this annual occurrence while maintaining your hectic holiday party and shopping schedule? Hopefully you know that it is important to limit calories by watching what you eat and drink. However, even as a fitness professional myself, I will be right there with you indulging in my mom's turkey and stuffing, shoveling down my aunt's collard greens, and getting to every sweet snack my sister-in-law can come up with. That is a reality my friends. Then the question becomes, how do you get away with that and not gain weight without having the metabolism of a greyhound? Simple, work harder in the gym! There is no secret to dieting; the more you take in the more you need to burn.

How do you do this? While in the gym going through your daily routine, it is important for you to increase the intensity. The intensity is basically "how hard you are working" during your workout (level of effort). For instance, if you run on the treadmill for 20 minutes at 4 miles per hour maybe you should try to run for 20 minutes at 5- 5.5 miles per hour. In other words, work harder! This will increase the amount of calories you are expending therefore allowing for you to take in more calories later. In the weight room change up your routine, take less recovery time, increase the amount of repetitions, increase the weight, and change the order of exercises. Another change would be to add in more machines if you are a free weight user or to add in more free weights if you are a machine user. Another idea would be to hire the help of a personal trainer. A quality personal trainer will be able to teach you new exercises, as well as push you to limits you never thought possible. By taking these steps leading up to the holidays, you will maintain the body you have worked so hard for all year long!

The bottom line is you can enjoy the holidays without the guilt of "gaining weight" by taking the steps necessary to staying in shape. Eat, drink, and be merry as long as you are putting in the work at the gym!

Jason Hadeed , BS, CCS