Winter is coming
It is hard to deny that when the days are getting shorter and shorter, the wind is picking up, and the nights are getting cold, that Winter is coming.
Winter conjures thoughts of snuggly nights with hot cocoa, movie nights, Holiday parties and, of course, all the special food and desserts. What most people don’t think about during the holiday is outdoor fitness, working out in general, or eating nourishing food for the mind and the body. Until New Years, at least … When the holidays are over, for a bit, and resolutions start to fill the mind.
Yet, the year is not divided between the Winter Holiday season and the rest of the year. Holidays are not free passes to stop doing what we’re doing and eat whatever you want. It is harder to stay on track but it is possible.
How to Stay Healthy For the Holidays
Make Friends with your Planner
With less daylight hours it is important to schedule your time wisely. Want to workout outside before it is dark?
- Bring your clothes with you to go for a run or a walk right after work.
- Explore the route from work to home to find a fun park or trail that you can walk/run on before heading home and the sun sets.
Have a bit more flexible of a schedule?
- Take advantage of the sunny mornings to get started earlier.
- Take a long lunch break and meet a friend in the park for exercise or a walk.
Embrace New Routines
Staying healthy takes some discomfort. Being sore or tired after a new workout, missing some dessert at times, waking up a little earlier to workout, and some nerves of trying something new.
We also know that these small discomforts of physical and personal GROWTH are also much better than their alternative discomforts: of being out of breath up the stairs, joint pain, low energy, not fitting into your favorite pair of jeans and the general BLAH of not being active.
Staying healthy during the winter takes some additional discomforts: working out in the cold and/or dark, online classes or zoom videos, and not going all out on the sweets all day, everyday if that makes you feel bloated and sluggish afterwards.
Balanced Diet
Winter brings lots of comfort foods, holiday meals and cookies (at least in our houses). Enjoying the holidays while eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to skip out on those celebrations or traditions but in finding a balance.
Soups and slow cooked meals are a great way to warm the house and yourself during the cold months and can be made with healthy ingredients and plenty of vegetables, so it is not all about the carbs for comfort and warmth.
Dessert laden tables at parties or events can be tempting, and it seems like after the Halloween candy starts hitting the shelves that it is a downward spiral into a sugar crash till January. At least for this sugar addict it can feel like that.
Looking for ways to keep out of the cookie jar?
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- Don’t fret over the pie– Big holidays are not a free pass to the sugar coma, but you should enjoy your favorite traditions and desserts. If the pumpkin pie is your favorite for Thanksgiving then have a slice and skip the rest of the pies. Or share a couple slices of different pies with a loved one. You don’t need to eat pumpkin pie for breakfast the whole week after too…
- Bake cookies for gifts to give to neighbors, friends and coworkers. Want the house to smell like cookies, or really craving your gingersnaps? Make a batch but instead of keeping them all, take a couple to ease the craving/tradition and then give the rest away! You still get to eat one or two but it removes the temptation out of sight.
- Get a smaller bag of Halloween candy– Always left with a ton of candy? Buy smaller bags. So you only open one bag. Or buy candy you don’t actually like!
- Start traditions that don’t involve sugar/food/alcohol. Go to a pumpkin patch, carve pumpkins, ice skate, walk around to look at decorations, go to the snow, do arts and crafts. There are so many fun things to do that are active and engaging that don’t add up any calories.
Put Yourself on the List
Feeling lost in the lengths of to do and gift lists? Put yourself on the list. Add some “me” time into the obligation time. Take time to work out, relieve stress and recenter yourself. As adults we spend money on ourselves all the time, on things we need and don’t necessarily need 😉 so give yourself the best gift of all this year: TIME.
Spend time doing things you enjoy, that lift you up, and add some time alone to recenter and breathe.
Ways to Stay Active with Monterey Bay Moves this Winter
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- Fall Success Promo: Still time to get in 20 classes for the rest of the year! Use promo FallSuccess to get $50 off your 20 class pass, and if you finish by the end of the year you get two 5 class passes on us!
- On Demand and Live classes on Zoom. We know that the holiday and winter season brings shorter days and longer schedules. We have introduced a new online only membership giving you the ability to take any of our online classes whenever you want and can!
- Fall Success Promo: Still time to get in 20 classes for the rest of the year! Use promo FallSuccess to get $50 off your 20 class pass, and if you finish by the end of the year you get two 5 class passes on us!
- Fall and Winter Challenges: Every year we come up with a special challenge to keep you active and accountable for the Season. Join the Countdown to Christmas Challenge for only $10 and get a chance to win 1 month of Unlimited classes in January!
- Accountability and Community. Join in any of our programming to get the best gift of all – a community that will keep coming back for more. Our instructors care more about you feeling safe and seen then about the numbers in our classes. We take the time to get to know YOU, to motivate YOU and to be with YOU. In doing so we have created a welcoming environment where friendships are cherished and workouts are fun.
Want to learn more and keep healthy and active this winter?