3 tips to find the elusive December balance
Christmas is just around the corner and… wait a minute, it’s December that’s just around the corner. Not Christmas! This is an important distinction because Christmas itself is only a couple of days, yet quite often we’ll write off the entire month when it comes to our health and fitness goals. But it doesn’t need to be this way.
On the other side of this ‘all or nothing’ mindset is the opportunity to find that elusive December ✨balance✨.
As we get to the final month of 2024, we share three tips to consider - plus an incredible offer that’s just available until midnight on 29th November that you don’t want to miss.
Redefine what success looks like for you this month
December is indeed a special month (and we love it!) - days are really really short, everywhere you go - from your local Tesco to Heathrow airport - smells like Christmas, and socials are at their peak. And whether you celebrate Christmas or not, it feels as though everyone is ready to switch off and let loose!
You will likely eat a bit more food, the food you will eat won’t be as packed with nutrients (but oh so delish!); you will probably have a bit more alcohol because who doesn’t like a glass of mulled wine?! … and you might even end up sleeping less due to all the Christmas parties. Oh and all the stress about buying the right presents for your loved ones! All of this - while so so so wholesome and magical - also means that objectively speaking, your recovery won’t be as optimal, and your training sessions might not be as good. But that’s completely okay! Instead, think of December as your maintenance month to keep things ticking over- not your PB month. Which means when you hit January, you don’t feel like you’re starting from scratch, but picking back where you left off!
Don’t underestimate different types of movement.
So normally, you’re always in the gym, strength training three times a week. But then trying to maintain that level and throwing in all of the social activities might make it hard to manage (go back to tip one btw!) But remember that there are different ways you can choose to move your body in December that might be more social and fun! Hands up who loves ice skating?? Us too, and ice skating is actually a pretty good form of training! Wrap up warm and get out for some lovely winter walks - you might find wandering around a Christmas market for hours will see your step count go through the roof! And who knows, we might luck out this year with a white Christmas and everyone knows snow means snowball fights!
Balance a festive treat with a nutritious meal
All the Christmas deliciousness will tempt you to ignore your nutrition altogether and just ‘start in January’, but you should do your best to avoid this! We’re all probably guilty of eating one too many mince pies in one sitting and feeling a bit sick of them after - and that kind of ruins it, doesn’t it? Festive treats are exactly that - treats! A useful strategy is to balance out eating out/festive meals with your usual meals so your gut feels happier. For example, if you know you’ll be having a big Christmas lunch - make sure you have your usual overnight oats with all the fibre and antioxidants for breakfast. Or, if it’s a training day - use the festive treat as a pre-workout - your body always needs to carb up before a session - so this is a win-win!
Think about adding things into your meals, rather than taking things out. Extra protein and veggies are always a good shout.
If you’re ready to get a step ahead of 2025 already and hit the ground running in January, then you NEED to get on our waitlist today. Join the list by midnight on 29 November and you’ll get:
💥 8 weeks of unlimited classes (2 extra weeks!)
🤝🏼 Accountability coach support every step of the way
🤓 121 goal-setting session to make sure you’ve got a clear focus
💛 Personalised recommendations every week from your coach on what sessions to do and how to make progress
💪🏾 Daily and weekly coach support to keep you on track
🍎 Nutrition guidance tailored to your goals
🎁 StrongHer goody bag, including an activity watch