Whether you spent the holidays at a boogie, on a beach, or even just at home relaxing, I am sure you are feeling the effects of holiday excess and want to get back in shape. A new year, and the desire to cleanse your body after the holiday, is a perfect combination to make some better habits to help you get back into shape! And help you fit back into your tunnel suit. So this week we are going to offer you some tips and friendly suggestions to form some good and lasting habits.

Personally, I don’t like to think just of quick fixes to slim down after the holidays. Preferably, I like to think more of building habits that can be maintained within our every day lives. So yes, you can go intense, cleanse mode after the holiday. But know you will probably soon fall off that path. Realize moderation and balance will be more maintainable in the long run.

“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.” – F.M. Alexander

By no means am I a professional, or am claiming to give you medical or educated information. However, a healthy lifestyle comes very natural to me, after years of trial and error. Hopefully some of my advice can resonate with you too!

Eat better to get in shape

Okay, so maybe you ate way to much baking and sweets over the holidays but now its time to get back in shape. Reality, no big deal. Now what you need to do is focus on reducing your current and future intake of these not so healthy food choices. Personally I like to live by a 80/20 rule. 80% of what I choose to eat is  nutritious, healthy, beautiful food options. 20% is not so strict. This way I have no guilt when I choose less healthy options, because I know I have nourished my body. And really, after some time, you don’t even crave the “bad” stuff as much, because you like the way you feel when feeding your body properly.

Meal prep helps me out a lot. Choosing two or three meals to prepare and have ready in your fridge is a perfect way to be prepared to get a routine and be back in shape. It will also avoid you from spending more money eating meals at restaurants, knowing you have something prepared already. Its super helpful for busy schedules – just grab your prepped food and don’t be late for work! Here are some examples of what I often have in my fridge (apologies as I am a vegetarian, but surely you get the idea)

• Hard boiled eggs – quick breakfast on the go.
• Chopped fruits for smoothies in the morning.
• Soup an easy lunch – my favorites are lentil or butternut squash!
• Pasta, pasta and more pasta! Choose high fiber, high protein options, like buckwheat.
• Lentil or quinoa dishes with lots of veggies.

Snack smart

Avoid over snacking. Yes I know, this can be hard. The struggle is real, and snacking is fun. So get prepared so that your can at least snack smart. Social media, facebook and Instagram for example, are full of amazing accounts to follow for inspiration. My favorite Instagram account that shares informative eating and snack ideas is Meow Meix. Being prepared can help avoid failure! Below I will share with you some of my favorite snack ideas!

• Rice cakes – super low calorie and fun to eat in so many ways. With hummus or guacamole! Mini Pizzas! Peanut (or other nut) butters, with berries ontop!
• Apples with peanut butter.
• Veggies and dip – My favorite is carrot sticks. I cut them up ahead of time and portion them out, so they are easy to grab whenever I have a snack attack. Dip with hummus or guacamole!
• Fruit – prepackaged goodies from mother natural. You can’t go wrong. Stock up on berries, cut up some coconut, buy some juicy mandarins. I can never feel guilty snacking on fruits.
• Nuts – be careful to not go crazy, as nuts are high calorie. However, they are full of good proteins and fats for us. Try not to purchase salted, excess sodium intake can cause major bloating.
• Protein bar – find a quality protein bar, high in protein and fiber and low in sugar.

Skip the drinks

This is my favorite tip for people. Preferably, I would rather be eating my calories then drinking them. Skip the soda, fancy coffees, juices and multiple beers. The amount of sugar in the sodas and fancy coffee drinks is alarming and will postpone your goal to get back in shape. Some people DRINK more calories then others even eat in a day. Let that sink in. Fruit juices that you buy in the stores are likely just as high in sugar and calories as soda, so be cautious.

Presumably you had your fair share of beers or other alcohols over the holidays. Well perhaps its a good idea to consider cutting back for a little while to give your body a break. I’m not saying that you cant enjoy a beer, or glass of wine. Just be aware that over indulging is easy, and will absolutely effect your goal of getting into shape after the holidays.

So what I suggest is this: go for a more basic coffee, be mindful of the cream and sugar you’re adding. Better yet, drink it black!  Add some fruit to your water to make it more interesting. Get a fresh squeezed juice or make a smoothie. Don’t forget, limit your alcohol intake significantly for the time being! Holidays are over, the booze isn’t going anywhere. It will still be there when you loose some of that holiday belly!

Exercise

Of course, we cannot get back onto track to a healthy body without moving it around a little bit! Fall in love with moving your body. Not everyone enjoys the same things in life, and exercise included. Moving your body is the main goal here. Try to find something that resonates with you. Of course, at first it may be hard to motivate yourself. However, surely if you enjoy what you are doing,  you will be more inclined to make the effort to do it. In no time, you will feel the motivation and desire to keep at it. Habits take some time to build, but trust me, you can make exercise a part of your routine.

Find your fit

Weight lifting and strength training is my jam. Just pure focus, and my brain does not think of anything else. Running on the other hand? I have tried so many times to get into running and I just dread it, on a treadmill or outside. For a long time I felt bad, or a failure, because I knew it was good for me. Please, don’t think like I did. Hate running but love cycling? Hate weight training but love jiu jitsu or yoga? The point I’m making is, our body is meant to move. So don’t feel bad if something that works for your friend, doesn’t resonate with you. Find something that does, and know in your mind and soul that you are respecting your body by moving it and giving it the exercise it craves.

Try and not be afraid of the local gym. Yes it can be intimidating to get started, or get back to it. However, keep in mind what I mentioned above. Find something you enjoy. Most gyms are not just weights or treadmills. Inquire about classes, try a few out, and maybe one or two will be exactly what you enjoy. Likely you will meet a few new people who are also enjoying the same exercise activity as you. Which of course will help you to return and form this new healthy habit!

Check out our blog post on fitness and wind tunnel flying. If having a healthy body isnt enough motivation, perhaps having the benefits for your flying will motivate you!

Keep Coming Back

Remember: It doesn’t matter how much you want to get back in shape. You must find a personal trainer or doctor or specific help before practicing any type of exercise. It’s very important for your future self doing the exercises correctly.

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