5 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Move Your Body Over the Holidays

Sweat it out instead of laying around in sweats! Here are five ways to stay motivated to move this holiday season!

It’s far too easy over the holiday season to just want to fa-la-la-la-fall right onto your couch in slippers with a mug of hot chocolate and a holiday movie marathon and never want to get up again until the new year. But the problem with that is, well, many-fold. Obviously, moving your body can help you not go up three pant sizes over the holidays, but even more than vanity, moving your body can keep you out of a rut over the holidays, since exercise has been proven time and time again to help boost our serotonin levels, provide endorphins, and keep us happy.

Okay, so how do we actually make sure we sweat it out rather than just lay around in sweats all December? Here are 5 ways to keep yourself motivated to move your body over the holiday season:

Have a Post-Workout Meal that is a Good Payoff for Your Hard Work

If you’re easily, let’s say, INSPIRED by tasty food, then there’s no shame or harm in inspiring yourself to workout by dangling a delightful post-workout treat in front of your sweaty nose! Since we’re on a holiday theme here, how about you choose something really festive to eat after your workout? (And obviously high in Sunwarrior plant-protein because that’s what your body needs most of after a sweat session.) Some of my favorites are gingerbread protein pancakes, apple pie protein muffins, this apple green pie protein smoothie, this perfect pumpkin protein smoothie,

Drink a Pre-Workout that Gets Your Buzzing

Not sure why I started with the post-workout grub when the pre-workout is obviously the first step to getting a great workout on! I guess that’s because it can be confusing to figure out what to eat before a workout, huh? Well, my rule of thumb is something as easy to digest as possible because you want your body to be using all of its energy for working out during your workout, not digesting whatever you eat before it! I also love to throw a small dose of caffeine a la matcha or a little boost of sugar a la dates into my pre-workout, just to give my body an extra boost. Some of my favorite festive pre-exercise treats are this matcha-full gingerbread green smoothie, chai latte overnight oats, and these gingerbread protein cookie balls!

Set a Really NOT DUMB Fitness Goal

When your motivation well is running a little dry, it can help to take to pen and paper. Whereas normally, during non-holiday season, you might just feel motivated to move on your own, setting very specific, NOT DUMB goals can help you preemptively get out of any fitness rut that might happen. What’s a NOT DUMB goal? A NOT DUMB goal:

Takes NERVE

Is OBVIOUS

Is TALLY-ABLE

Is DO-ABLE

is UNIQUE

Is MEANINGFUL

and is BELIEVABLE

Basically, a NOT DUMB goal is something that’s incredibly unique to you and very measurable. So rather than some generic 30-day fitness plan, your plan could be “I’m going to run 100 miles before New Year’s Eve” (if you’re a runner). Or “I’m going to do 12 yoga classes before Christmas Day” if you’re a yoga-er. In my opinion, the more specific, obvious, tally-able and actually do-able your goal is, the much more likely you are to achieve it!

Make an Irresistibly Fun Playlist

If you hate holiday music as a whole, skip to tip number 5. If you love holiday music as a whole, curate your own upbeat holiday workout playlist and workout to it. Or if you’re going to a class, pop to it en-route!

Take Your Holiday Parties to the Gym

The holiday season is a time to festively be with your most favorite friends, family, and coworkers. Exchanging secret Santa gifts, going to Friendsgivings, having holiday work parties is all great but why not take your ho-ho-holiday gatherings to a hi-hi-HIIT class?! Or why not all take a ride on Santa’s spin bike? Or why don’t I stop making weird holiday puns and just say that exercising together is a great way to be festive with your most favorite friends, family, and coworkers during the holiday season!

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