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Hello you awesome people!
Here are a few tips to help you keep your gains during Christmas.
The most important thing to remember is to enjoy yourself!
I’ll let you in on a secret, it’s not the two week over Christmas that will make or break your gains but the other 50!
So enjoy yourself over these weeks and eat, drink and celebrate guilt free. Your physique goals may take a step backwards but it will only serve to motivate you even further in the New Year!
Fergus and the team at CrossFit UV
#CrossFitUV #UVStrong
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1. Calories are king
If you’re logging your food using my fitness pal, or another similar app, staying within your overall calories goals are the most important thing over Christmas.
Whilst your daily calorie intake may usually contain things like eggs, lean cuts of meat, oats, vegetables, rice, greek yoghurt and protein shakes your Christmas calories may look more like wine & beer, ice cream, chocolate, more wine & beer, crisps, cake and some more wine & beer for good measure!
Either way if you’re trying to stay as lean as possible keeping within your overall calorie target is the most important thing. So don’t worry about the macro break-down or the food quality (over Christmas) and focus on staying within your target.
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2. Protein is next in line for the throne
Getting enough protein will help retain as much lean muscle as possible. it also has at the added benefit of making you full so you’ll be less likely to over indulge. So fill yourself with protein first before everything else.
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3. Never go out for a meal hungry
if you’re out with your family or friends and you expect it to be a calorie dense meal don’t try and compensate by starving yourself that day as this will only lead to overeating.
Instead try to fill your day with high protein meals, lots of veg and ideally try and have a healthy snack an hour or two before you go out. This way you’ll go into the meal relatively full and are much less likely to overindulge.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”653″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1513750043335{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1513750001455{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #404040 !important;}”]
4. stay hydrated
With excessive food and drink we can often become dehydrated without even knowing it (particularly after a night out). As always, keep a bottle of water to hand and keep drinking throughout the day.
If you’re on a night out, having regular glasses of water throughout the night can help prevent hangovers. Having up to a litre when you get home (and again in the morning) can be a lifesaver!
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5. Keep working out
Keep your workouts up, particularly on the days that you expect a big night ahead, as it will stoke your metabolism and help you enjoy yourself guilt free.
If you can’t make it to the gym, do some burpees! There’s a reason we did a December 30 burpees a day challenge.
#UVBurpeeChallenge
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6. Don’t worry about workout results
The excessive lifestyle that Christmas brings (late nights, too much alcohol and poor diet) may result in you feeling a little more sluggish than normal which may have a negative effect on your workouts. Who cares, it’s only a workout.
Remember, you workout to make yourself feel better therefore don’t let a few scores get you down. Instead pat yourself on the back for continuing to workout whilst so many other are making excuses like they’re ‘just too busy’ (but spending 4/5 hours watching TV).
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7. Do not log on Christmas Day
This is non-negotiable.
It’s Christmas Day, enjoy yourself. If you feel that you need to watch what you eat on Christmas Day then your diet the rest of the year is the problem and needs to be addressed.
We’d be delighted to help you with that, however Christmas Day is not the time for that so enjoy yourself!
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8. Enjoy yourself!
This is definitely worth repeating.
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