The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration. For many, it’s also a season of indulgence. With festive gatherings, delicious treats, and a packed social calendar, it’s hard staying fit during the holidays. But staying fit and agile during this season is not only possible, it’s essential.
This is because staying fit helps us to manage mental and emotional stress and protects our bodies from illness.
Let’s explore some practical tips to help you maintain your fitness amidst the excesses of the holidays.
1. Keep Training, Even with a Busy Schedule
The holiday season can be a whirlwind of special events, shopping, and social gatherings. While all of this takes time, it’s important to carve out space on the calendar for your regular workouts. Plan your exercise routine well in advance, and if your usual schedule is disrupted, consider shorter, higher-intensity workouts. Even just 30 minutes of exercise can keep you on track and help counteract the extra calories from holiday feasts.
Remember too, that strength and flexibility training are at least as important as cardio. Strength and flexibility training helps keep us looking and feeling great and, when done right, can also burn calories and exercise our heart and lungs.
2. Watch Your Diet
For many, great food is a big part of the holidays, but that doesn’t mean you should overindulge. Mindful eating is key. Enjoy your favorite holiday treats but in moderation. Fill your plate with fibrous veggies before hitting the more dishes that include higher amounts of fat and starchy carbs. Really limit the amount of sugar you eat – no need for seconds of that pie! Staying hydrated can also help control your appetite. Be mindful of portion sizes, and listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues.
3. Seek Professional Support
The holiday season is a great time to consider professional support for your fitness journey. Group strength and flexibility classes can provide structure and motivation, especially if you’re finding it hard to stay motivated on your own. Alternatively, working with a trainer one-to-one can help you set goals and stay accountable. Professional guidance can be particularly valuable to stay on track when temptations abound like they do during the holiday season.
4. Set Realistic Goals
The holidays are a time to enjoy, so don’t feel that you need to set lofty expectations. Instead, you may want to focus on maintaining your current fitness level and overall health. Aiming for weight loss or muscle gain during this time may lead to frustration for some people. It might be easier for many to accept that there will be moments during these couple of months when you indulge, and that’s okay.
“Strength and flexibility training helps keep us looking and feeling great and, when done right, can also burn calories and exercise our heart and lungs.”
5. Prioritize Sleep and Stress Management
Good quality sleep and effective stress management are crucial for maintaining physical, mental and emotional health. Ensure you get enough rest, as sleep is when your body recovers and repairs. Practice relaxation techniques to manage holiday stress, which can trigger overeating or skipping workouts.
6. Stay Active with Family and Friends
Turn holiday gatherings into active social events. Organize family walks, group sports, or participate in holiday-themed fun runs. Staying active with loved ones is not only good for your health but also a great way to bond and create lasting memories.
The holiday season is a time for celebration, and it’s possible to do so without sacrificing your fitness. By planning your workouts, practicing mindful eating, seeking professional support, and maintaining a healthy balance, you can emerge from the holidays feeling fit, agile, and ready to tackle the new year with renewed energy and focus. Remember, it’s not about perfection but about making choices that align with your long-term health and well-being.
Cirque Art Studio
The goal of Cirque Art Studio is to combine fun and fitness into unique circus performance art classes that improve your physical well-being and your mental focus. Our coaches are trained circus performers, contortionists, gymnasts, acrobats, and experienced instructors.
Join us at our studio, located on Biscayne Boulevard, Route 1 North, in North Miami Beach, Florida near Keystone Islands. We are within a ten mile drive from Aventura, Bal Harbour, Cooper City, Dania, Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale, Hallandale Beach, Hialeah, Hollywood, City of Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, Miami Lakes, Miami Shores, Miami Springs, Miramar, North Bay Village, North Miami, Opa Locka, Pembroke Pines, Sunny Isles Beach, Surfside, and West Park.
Our classes, which consist of acrobatics and tumbling, flexibility, contortion, hand balancing, mixed aerial, including lyra and aerial silks, and circus skills like juggling, are available for kids, adults, beginners, intermediate, and for the more skilled. We offer in-studio group classes, individual instruction, personal group training, and virtual sessions.
If you’re intrigued by the idea of defying your body’s normal range of motion and exploring the world of contortion, Cirque Art Studio in Miami welcomes practitioners of all levels. Classes offered include:
Beginner Classes: Perfect for those taking their first steps into the world of contortion. You’ll learn foundational stretches and poses, gradually building flexibility and strength.
Intermediate Classes: Tailored for those who have mastered the basics, intermediate classes introduce more challenging contortion poses and sequences.
Advanced Classes: Designed for experienced contortionists, these classes delve into the art’s intricate and advanced techniques.
To book your class visit Cirque Art Studio’s website, explore their class offerings, and book a contortion session. Our studio provides a supportive environment where you can learn, grow, and push your boundaries under the guidance of experienced contortion professionals.
