Keeping Fit This Christmas | How to Stay in Shape after Christmas Day

The Christmas holiday season is upon us, which is always welcomed with open arms by the majority of families across the world. At the same time, a lot of people will not be looking forward to the Christmas season and all the eating that tends to come with it.

Christmas is a blessed time of year where we should relax and spend time with the family, before starting off right for the new year.

However, holiday seasons are not full breaks for a large number of people. Some of us still like to keep fit during the festive period, whilst finding that balance where we can enjoy ourselves guilt-free at the same time.

That is why we at Animal Instinct have put together a guide for all you fitness freaks out there that don't stop the grind when those Christmas lights go up, and want to start off the New Year with a bang.

In this article you will find useful tips on how you can overcome the daunting festive period's bad habits, so that you can enjoy Christmas with an organised routine to put you in good stead for 2024.

1) Plan Two Weeks Ahead

In general, we know that without a plan it is extremely difficult to set goals in mind. That is especially the case for Christmas when you plan on going the Christmas markets or out on the town.

That is why it is crucial to plan up until New Years Day for your fitness routine. If you put it in writing that you will go to the gym either after work or on a Saturday morning, you are giving yourself the best chance of making that happen.

You should plan the days where you won't be there, and for when you will be. This will ensure that you enjoy your rest days without any guilt of whether you shouldn't be enjoying yourself, as you have already planned on making up for it.

2) Set Realistic Expectations

We've all been there where we've missed a workout that perhaps needed to be done. And once you do this you become demotivated and don't go ahead with the rest of your plan. Sacking it off until the New Year is an unhealthy mentality to have long term, and is something that can be nipped in the bud with realistic expectations.

As much as you'd like to think you'll be working out 6-7 days a week over the Christmas period (if you are I'm happy for you!) but for most people this is unrealistic, and is likely going to lead to you breaking promises to yourself.

To combat this, you should instead set realistic goals that you are guaranteed to hit, and don't plan to do something that you're less than 90% likely to follow through with. 

Setting these attainable goals and meeting them will put your mindset on another level heading into that New Year, and puts you miles ahead of the people who are starting from ground zero.

3) Don't Beat Yourself Up, It's Christmas!

Christmas is not the time of year to beat yourself up over your fitness lifestyle. It's a time to enjoy yourself with your family!

If you can stick to your plan and get those workouts in, weather it's in a gym or your home, then you can consider yourself better than most at this time of year.

The goal is to stay consistent, so that when you come into the New Year you give yourself the best chance of sticking to your goals. And the mental victories you will get from staying disciplined this Christmas will serve you the world of good in the long term.

So remember: Christmas is a time for happiness and family. Stick to your own promises, enjoy the festive season, and get ready to smash through that New Year with a bang!

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