This year’s Holiday season is just around the corner and you are probably thinking about taking some well-deserved time off from work. If you are a student, you will probably have a break from school and a short vacation. For this reason, we’ve gathered some of our favorite boxing tips for the holidays you need to check out right now.
Among the tips for the holidays that we want to give you are some related to food (because it is okay to eat all of the delicious recipes that come with the festivities related to December), staying fit while traveling (if you decide to go on a trip) and how to get back in shape in January as fast as possible.
Fit boxing tips for the holidays
As we just said, it is okay to have a few cheat meals during the Holidays because not only the food is super delicious, but also because it’s just once a year and many gatherings with friends and family include meals.
So, if you still want to try a little bit of everything that is good during the Christmas season but at the same time stay as fit as possible, here are some tips for the holidays you may want to consider following.
- Drink 2 glasses of water before every meal
Health authorities say that we need to drink about eight glasses of water daily to stay healthy and this will be part of the key to not gaining weight even during the Holidays. You can take two glasses of water before having any meal and this way, you won’t be hungry enough to overeat.
2. Stay motivated
If you set up goals for yourself it will be easier to stay on track, even around all of the delicious desserts and high-calorie dishes you may be surrounded with during this season. One way to motivate yourself is by watching boxing movies for inspiration like we suggested not too long ago.
In that post, we also mention that another way to get motivated and inspired is by reading motivational quotes and by following influencers from the boxing world.
3. Use a small plate
Using a small plate will help you control your portions better instead of filling the larger one until you are so full you need to lie down. The idea is not to torture yourself to try and stay on your regular diet, but you can try all the good stuff in controlled portions. Don’t let the portions control you instead!
4. Continue exercising
Create an exercise routine that works for you, even if you are on vacation. This is a great way to make it through the holidays in shape and also helping you get rid of the extra calories you may have ingested.
5. Have a reward day
If you really can’t get off your diet, then create a reward day where you can eat all those foods you have been craving all week. However, don’t binge, stay within controlled portions, but allow yourself to have a break at least once a week!
6. Beware of high-calorie drinks
Eggnog? Yes, of course, it’s Christmas! However, drinks like this have a lot of calories and even if they come as a drink it does not mean they won’t cause you to gain weight.
7. Eat five times a day
First of all, don’t skip meals. This will cause your body to go into starvation mode and store fat for later. Instead, you need to eat at least five times a day: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between healthy snacks. You can check some boxer’s diet tips we have told you about before, and you can also plan ahead so that you are not wondering at the last minute what’s in the fridge and end up having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with some soda.
8. Don’t eat in your comfy clothes
Yes, if you eat in your most comfortable clothes it is harder to feel full, so try instead to eat in clothes that don’t stretch. Maybe you can wear your holiday dress and tell more easily when you are full.
9. Find a buddy
Everything is easier if you are not alone, so find yourself a buddy to train during this holiday season and to also help you stay on track with your meals and goals. It will also be more fun like this!
Boxing tips for the holidays if you are traveling
It is much easier to stay on a routine at home than when you are traveling. Fast food is so easy to get and it’s right there, in every corner, right in our faces. So, what should you do to stay as fit as possible if you are planning to travel during the upcoming holidays?
When you travel you are expecting to go to new places, get the best experiences and spend a nice time, the least you want is to be stressed out about gaining weight or getting out of shape. However, it IS important to think about your health.
It is so easy to abandon your healthy lifestyle and staying fit while traveling. You don’t have a place to workout, your eating habits go bye-bye and even your sleeping pattern changes. However, we know that you don’t want to feel like you are starting from scratch once you return to your regular routine and habits, but the good news is that it doesn’t have to be like that.
It is also very important to keep in mind that it may not be the best idea to let yourself go and have to be getting back in shape later (which will be harder), but to stay as healthy as possible wherever you are traveling to. Therefore, we have prepared some great tips to help you stay fit while traveling:
- Beach workouts
If you are going to a beach destination, then you need to take advantage of it in all of the possible ways. Before laying down for tanning or relaxing while you drink your favorite cocktail under a palm tree you can do some running on the sand, burpees, sprints, planks, bear crawls and box jumps. And if you can swim, why not? According to Flo.health “an individual who weighs approximately 150 pounds (68 kilograms) will burn about 400 calories during 1 hour of moderate-intensity swimming”.
2. Run
If you enjoy running or taking walks, it is another way to stay fit while traveling. Not only will you get a nice workout but you will do some sightseeing along the way. So, don’t forget to pack your running shoes and get ready for a workout filled with unique views, new air, and a wonderful experience.
3. Do some yoga
Yoga is not only something you can do ANYWHERE, but it will give you a nice stretch and workout too. After spending hours cramped in a plane or days on a bouncy bus, yoga is there for you. It will help you open your hip flexors and bring the blood flow back to your arms, head and legs. Some recommended poses are: Half dog; Chair pose; Standard hip opener; Tree pose; Standing big toe pose; Forward bend; Half-moon pose; Warrior II.
4. Watch what you eat
As we said before on the list of tips for staying fit during the holidays while traveling it is even more important to take care of your eating habits. Since you will probably not have a kitchen available to cook in – and if you are on vacation, we understand, you want a break from the routine – and you will be eating out a lot, it is better for your health to reduce snacking as much as possible (between 10% and 20% of what you eat in a day) and eat whole foods.
5. Drink plenty of water
Yes, when you are traveling you also need to drink plenty of water, perhaps even more than you do regularly to keep you from dehydrating if you spend a lot of time under the sun or walking all day long.
6. Always go for the active option
Take every chance you can to stay active. By this, we mean that if you can take the stairs instead of the elevator, go for it! Hike a trail close to your hotel or even try local activities, such as dancing or surfing.
7. Stretch
Yoga is an activity that can help you stretch your muscles but if you don’t like doing it, you should try to stretch every day still. If you like to go running, flex afterward. Flexibility is something that is lost easily if it’s not practiced regularly, and stretching your muscles will keep you from getting sore and having back or neck pain.
8. Sleeping habits
We are not expecting you to go to bed early when you travel. You may want to go out and have fun, and yes, you deserve it. However, you still need to get quality sleep to let your body recover from all of the experiences and adventures you are having. Good sleep equals good metabolism, which means a healthy life.
Getting back in shape for boxing after the holidays
Even if you try to stay on track as much as possible, you may still end up with a few extra pounds. But, don’t worry, we’ll give you some tips that will help you get back in shape as fast as possible.
- Get back to boxing classes ASAP
After the holiday season is over and everything goes back to “normal”, return to the gym as soon as you can. Once you start training again you will feel the calories burning. Also, returning to your regular eating habits will help you lose any extra pounds.
2. Don’t feel guilty
So you gained a few pounds. It’s fine, don’t feel guilty. You had the chance to spend time with your loved ones and enjoy delicious meals together. Just view the situation as it is: you had wonderful moments and gained a bit of weight. Big deal. All you need to do is get back to training and keeping an eye on what you eat and you’ll be fine.
Also, it is possible that part of the weight gain is water retention, which will go away as soon as you go back to your regular habits.
3. Drink lots of water
Even if you are retaining water in your body, you still need to drink lots of water during the day. It may sound crazy, but it’s not. If you drink less water, the body will retain it thinking that it is in emergency mode and needs to save it for later.
4. Get rid of leftovers in the fridge
If you still have leftovers in the fridge it will be harder to get back to your normal eating habits. Finish all at once the remaining pieces of cake and pie or give them away. No one needs temptation.
So, tell us, what are your plans for the upcoming holidays? Are you staying at home? Will you be training? Are you traveling? Whatever you are planning on doing, don’t forget about these boxing tips for the holidays that will help you stay healthy, fit, and back in shape in January in no time.
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