How to Get Back in Shape After the Holidays

The holiday season is officially over but the lasting effects of traveling, holiday gatherings, and the over-indulgence in foods are still with us. As we mentally and physically prepare ourselves for this new year, we’re here to help you get back into the swing of things fitness-wise with five tips on how to get back into shape after the holiday season.

Cold Hard Facts

The average American will usually gain around 10-15 lbs. during the months from Thanksgiving up through the New Year. That’s usually 3-4 lbs. per holiday. It’s no wonder why the most common New Year resolution is health-related. 

Regardless of the setbacks that we may have had from being off-script with meal plans or missing workout sessions, the time is now to start putting your fitness routine into gear. 

Getting Back into Routine

Here is how you can get back on track and in shape after the holidays.

Start Slow

If you lose workout progress or gain weight during the holidays, don’t panic. Just as you can’t lose a month's worth of training overnight by binging on Thanksgiving pie, you also cannot get back to where you were fitness-wise, at the start of the New Year, overnight as well.

Your best bet is to ease back into training, especially if you haven't been doing anything consistently over the past month and a half. Most go into extreme workout mode, exercising ninety-plus minutes daily, six to seven times per week. This will ultimately lead to burnout or injury, as you are likely not recovering enough. Keep it simple, ease back into your training routine, and you’re more likely to stick with it past the month of February. 

Get Back on Track Consistently

The main thing to get back at it after the holidays is to resume the little things you do normally throughout the year. Usually, that means getting back on your meal plan (portion control, eating the rainbow, mindful eating, etc.) hydrating properly, prioritizing rest, recovery, and sleep, and slowly easing back into a consistent workout routine. Once you begin these small habits again, it's amazing how easy it will be to become second nature again.

Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself

It is human nature to be your own harshest critic. Now is a great time to try and ease off a touch of self-judgment. Holidays are meant to be celebrated, indulged, and shared with friends and family. So maybe you weren't as active or on point with your diet as you would have hoped, you can bounce back! By resuming your healthy habits and starting off slow and consistent, it will only be a matter of time before you’ll be back to your normal routine.

Reflect on the Small Victories

One of the best things to do is to reflect and congratulate yourself on the smaller victories you had over the holidays. Maybe instead of sleeping in on Thanksgiving, you participated in a turkey trot, or perhaps for Christmas, you passed on the sugar cookies and opted for some fresh fruit. Reflecting on the small victories you had can help put into perspective the positives of the holiday season and can make the memories much more meaningful. 

Have Fun Getting Back Into Shape

All too often most start attacking their New Year workouts with a sort of resentment mentality. It's as though it's a punishment to ourselves for slacking on our fitness during the holiday season. This is a toxic mentality that will benefit no one in the end. Make sure that you get back into your routine and have fun with it. Maybe that means waking up a little earlier to get a workout in before the start of your day or prepping meals and snacks so they’re ready for you when hunger strikes. Healthy habits like these will help make daily routines structured and enjoyable, and make you more adept at sticking with your New Year resolutions.

Progress Over Perfection

Regardless of what may or may not have happened over the holidays, you can still enjoy and be successful in getting back into shape. Start planning, stay on point, and use these tips to help you reach your fitness goals in no time.

Train Like a Fighter This Year

Take your workouts to the next level and train like a fighter with the at-home connected fitness solution used by world champion boxers Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather. FightCamp has everything you need to work out on your schedule, with premium boxing equipment and hundreds of on-demand strength, conditioning, kickboxing, boxing, core, and recovery classes led by real fighters. 

As Mike Tyson said - “FightCamp is the next level of training!”