Festive and wedding season brings with it numerous gatherings with friends and family, laughter, happy moments, and plenty of delicacies rich in carbohydrates and fats! It gets a bit difficult to stick to our fitness routine and discipline. However, setting realistic fitness goals during this season and ensuring that you achieve small goals will let you enjoy the glutton trip!
While binging on your favorite dishes, here are some tips that you can keep in mind to ensure that you are not losing on your progress.
Realistic Goals
First things first, everyone deserves some time off during holidays to enjoy. So, don’t go too hard on yourself. Set a balanced goal, don’t take harsh pledges of going to the gym daily or plan a strict diet. One can stick to a sustainable routine, spread the workout plan, watch the food quantity, and also get adequate amount of rest. A walk in the park, a thirty-minute yoga session or even a powerful HIIT regime for 15 minutes will help stick to the routine.
Hydrate Yourself
Drinking plenty of water during the festive season to suppress your appetite. The fancy drinks at parties do look tempting, but make sure you are sipping on water at regular intervals to hydrate yourself and not go overboard with calories. Black coffee, green tea, lemon water can be added through the day to stay hydrated.
Watch the Hard Drinks
Consuming alcohol, that too repeatedly can affect your fitness levels adversely. It will harm the daily calorie intake throwing the quantified nutrition goals out of the window. Though it is advised to not consume it, however, do consult your nutritionist to adjust in the diet plan.
Track Your Macros
Keeping a check on your proteins, fats and carbohydrates intake is essential. If you have a get-together to attend on a particular day, ensure that you are balancing your calorie consumption before and after that.
However, do maintain an appropriate consumption of proteins during these days. Plan your meals ahead of time, which will help you keep a check on your macros.
Most importantly, do not feel guilty if you eat an extra gulab jamun, it will not mess up your progress or be a hurdle in achieving your fitness goal! You can always bounce back.
Keep a Check on the Food Intake
It can be extremely difficult to not give into the spread of your favorite delicacies at your friend’s or relatives' house. Don't worry, your go to keyword and practice is to go easy on the portions.
You can also try phasing out the food intake and consume healthier options available. Also, while hosting parties cook healthier options, try grilling or baking instead of using fried foods. There are plenty of healthy recipes available online, on fitness apps like Fitter which can help you make your party a hit.
Family Time
This is the best time to be with family, so why not plan activities which will help you burn calories and also nurture the bonding. Yoga, Zumba, and even fun dance session will help you stick to your goals as well as enjoy some down time with family. Day picnics, with frisbee, games, mini races, cricket match etc. are also some great ideas to enjoy festivities without guilt.
Sleep Check
Managing hectic work time, parties, work-out and fun can get exhaustive. Make sure you get a good seven to eight hours of sleep. You need to be well rested for the hectic months of celebration.
This season, topped with beautiful weather is the time to enjoy with family, and catch-up with friends. Having said that, the key is to maintain a balance and enjoy authentic festive food while being mindful of your health.
(Author: Anjali Singh, Nutrition and Training Coach with Fittr)
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