The summer may have been and gone (but will come back around before we know it) so we’re heading fast into winter. Traditionally the winter months are the season to kick back, relax and eat your own bodyweight in chocolate, but I disagree.
Before you get all ‘Bah Humbug’ on me, I can tell you that I love Christmas as much as the next person, but I also believe that all the hard work you’ve put into creating a killer physique over the summer shouldn’t go to waste because the temperature drops and the chocolates come out. The bodies we all crave for in the summer months when you’re lounging on the beach are actually made in the winter, when you’re lounging in your PJs. Well, kind of.
I’m sure we all know that maintaining health and fitness is a long process. It would be amazing if we could lose weight as quickly as we put it on or that a six-pack could be achieved overnight, but that’s not reality. Sorry to break it to you.
It’s doesn’t do any good to start a fitness or health campaign a month before you go away. It might help a little (and I do mean a little) but the path to true health and fitness lies in it becoming part of your lifestyle. With the winter upon us, these next 4-6 months are crucial for you to become fitter, stronger and healthier than you have ever been for the next 6.
At one point or another we’ve started a fitness plan or a diet on the 1st January. It’s the quintessential ‘New Year’s Resolution’, but how long does it last? Not long enough. If you truly want to be fitter and healthier then it needs to start today. There’s no better time to get the body you want than right now.
Building your new health and fitness routine into your everyday life isn’t as onerous as you might think. No-one expects you to go to the gym all day, every day. It’s not necessary, nor is it realistic. If you build in just three sessions a week, you’ll have achieved around 75 sessions (maybe more) by the time your summer holiday comes along.
That sort of time is going to make a real difference to achieving your goals. Not only will that time be well spent, it will also help you understand your body; how it feels, what it needs, what works and what doesn’t. You’ll iron out those basic flaws in technique that everyone has when they exercise but, once eliminated, help you make massive strides on your path to the summer body you want. Those sort of things you simply can’t do in a couple of weeks.
Of course exercise and nutrition go hand in hand and whilst Christmas isn’t known for it’s health eating, with a little planning and commitment, you can still have your Christmas cake and eat it. With your exercise schedule sorted, you have more scope to enjoy the festivities without going overboard. Being careful about what you eat isn’t just a Christmas thing. When healthy living becomes part of everyday living, then you’ll understand what you can and can’t eat.
Like exercise, it isn’t as onerous as you might think. Plan your meals ahead of time and work out what is going to work for you and your lifestyle. You can also utilise the time you might normally spend in front of the TV by going to the gym, going for a walk with the family or planning your next week of meals for when the turkey runs out.
The work you do over the winter is going to play a massive part in the summer. I would always advise my clients to stay away from short-term fixes and concentrate on long-term goals after all, exercise is for life, not just for Christmas.
