Navigating the festive season without unraveling all of the hard work that you’ve put into your health and fitness is a big ask. Everywhere you turn you’ll find finger food, sweet treats, glasses of bubbles and gyms with limited opening hours. So how do you balance out all of this indulgence when your usual gym is closed, or maybe even in another town? How do we make it to Australia Day without going up a dress-size?

These training tips are all about short, simple sessions and everyday ideas so that you can return to what summer is all about – quality time with friends and family. Enjoy the break from your usual fitness regime and take these tips as a challenge to enter 2013 in your best shape yet.

Pre-Christmas

1. Every moment counts. Lugging the Christmas pressies home, walking to Christmas parties when possible and running around with the kids at their Christmas picnic will all contribute to your fitness.
2. Plan ahead. December is a notoriously busy time of year. So make sure you take all of your commitments into consideration, and then choose your training times for the week wisely.

During Christmas

1. Ask for an active present. It doesn’t need to be a home gym… how about a fitball, pilates DVD or a skipping rope? Even if the novelty wears off after a few weeks, your stocking filler will have helped you to keep in shape through the trickiest time.
2. Plan an active Christmas event. A family walk, cycle or a few active hours at the beach are great ways to break up the eating and drinking.

On holiday

1. Structure. Choose a time of day to claim as your own. It could be 20-minutes first thing, a moment of peace while hubby deals with bath-time or an after-dinner moment to unwind. Simply decide when you can abandon the family each day and look after yourself. You’ll all benefit.
2. Short and sharp. If you can run, beach sprints are a brilliant way to train. Simply draw a start and finish line in the sand, anywhere from 50m-200m apart. Run as fast as you can, then walk back. Keep repeating this for about 20 minutes.
3. Stay strong. You can do bodyweight exercises indoors while everyone else takes an afternoon nap. Squats, lunges, planks, push-ups, tricep dips off the coffee table. Simply rotate through the bodyweight exercises that you are familiar with.
4. Have fun. You’re on holiday, it’s meant to be a chance to play and recharge. So if training becomes a chore, find something else active to fill the gap. Playing in the waves with the family, racing each other down the beach, riding bikes to a beach that’s further from home or playing backyard cricket are all great ways to spend your time.

Happy holidays!

Gretchen Masters loves helping everyone to get fitter, healthier and happier. With the solid foundations of an exercise science degree and over 10 years experience in the fitness industry, Gretchen knows how to help you to get the most out of your training.

Gretchen’s biggest project these days is Spring – a national campaign delivered online to fight depression. Held each September, members follow daily fitness plans, eat good mood food and access meditation podcasts. They track their mood and watch it soar. All of the profits from Spring are donated to mental health charities.

Gretchen also delivers corporate wellness programs and writes regular columns for Inform magazine. When she’s not busy boosting health and vitality all over Australia, you’ll find Gretchen planning her next trip to France. Each July, Gretchen shares her passion and guides groups from the French Alps to Paris, following the Tour de France.

For more information

W    www.springfitness.com.au

P     1300 65 25 66

E      [email protected]