Maintaining Balance this Holiday Season

Put those holiday cookies to use - and take some time for self-care.

Ahh the holidays. The most wonderful time of year. My favorite time of the year (well, equal to frolicking in warm seas but that is not the point).

This time of year is amazing - everyone is cheery, bright, and grateful. Great food, happy people, good parties...did I say great food? We all look forward to the holidays because we get to eat foods we rarely eat, or only get once a year, and many people tend to go overboard and then feel guilty about it.

Well I’m here to chat with you about how to not feel guilty this holiday season, and actually make use of those cookies and find balance. 

Here’s the thing, if you take care of yourself 11 months out of the year, 1 month of indulging a little more than usual is not going to hurt you. And you still need to find time for you. What if I told you that on top of that, this would also be a great opportunity for growth?

As you probably know, I’m a BootyBuilding coach - and while many people fall off the wagon during this time, whether it’s because they have a 100 or 0 mentality (“I didn’t do anything this week so I might as well just not do anything”), or they think there’s no point because of how much they’re eating, I’m here to tell you that there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t make progress or stay on track for your fitness goals during this time.

In fact, I would argue to say that this season offers a unique opportunity to actually grow. You see, most women have a tendency to under-eat, and when you don’t consume enough calories, you won’t grow muscle. You might be thinking: “Yeah but I don’t want to get muscle, I don’t want to get bulky, I just want to tone up.”

Let’s take a quick diversion really quick. The concept of toning is not only outdated, it’s false. There is no exercise you can do to “tone up.” Toning is when you have a combination of lean body fat and muscle, which is more visible through said lean body fat. So if you don’t have enough muscle, you won’t have that “toned” look no matter how lean you get. 

In order to grow your muscle, you have to eat - yes carbs included. Are you starting to make the connection here? In this time of typical “surplus” as long as you find balance what you’re eating and doing physically (calories in vs. calories out), it’s totally possible to stay on track. 

Now, back to the main conversation, how exactly do you find balance?! 

As cliche as it sounds, moderation is key. Wanting to eat those holiday cookies you like? Go for it. Eat a cookie, or two, and maybe swap out the creamer in your coffee, or skip your regular piece of chocolate as a replacement. There are swaps you can make throughout the day to ensure you don’t go into a massive surplus.

And of course, exercise. Find the time for it. I know you might be busy, but you must make the choice to prioritize your health, and that includes fitness. I am NOT saying to punish yourself for those cookies you ate. No freakin’ way. Enjoy the cookies, and then go move your body in a way you enjoy - whether that’s at the gym lifting weights, a run, a walk, yoga, whatever it might be. The options are endless. You always have a choice from what you eat to how you exercise to if you choose to exercise or not. You are in control. 

Maintaining balance is totally possible during this hectic time of year, it all comes down to choice and perspective. If you’re feeling down on yourself because you didn’t hit your workout for the day but ate cookies (which is totally fine!), go out for a walk or do a quick yoga flow to get the blood flowing through your body. Something is always better than nothing, and I promise you it goes beyond physical benefits, movement helps the mind as well. Finding the balance is the key to enjoying your holiday! When you allow yourself the mental freedom to enjoy what you want to enjoy while still taking care of yourself, you will feel liberated.

If you don’t feel like going to the gym and want to stick with quick and effective home workouts, check out my free fitness bundle! It includes a workout and nutrition tracker, healthy snack list, and a month of free home workouts!