Holiday Health Tips for Runners
Tis the season for holiday parties and spending time with family.
I love Christmas time for a host of reasons: those chocolate peanut butter balls that are everywhere, presents, spending time with family, those chocolate peanut butter balls..
One downside is that it is not a fabulous time to be thinking about running. Sugary treats make great workout fuel, but it isn’t in your best interest to skip out on that special family tradition to go on a run. Running is important, but people are always more important!
Over the years, I have established a few habits that allow me to coast through the holidays, truly celebrate and enjoy the season and stay on track for training which ramps back up in January.
1. High Intensity workouts:
I will wake up 15 minutes early and do a high intensity plyometrics workout to get my blood pumping and body moving, but still leaves lots of time to watch Elf and enjoy my mom’s amazing Christmas cinnamon rolls. I will often do something like this:
2. Eat Before Going to Holiday Parties:
I know this seems super lame, but I need to eat a lot to be a happy girl. If we are talking and my eyes are darting around the room, chances are, I am hungry and there is food in the corner. I want to be fully engaged with people so I often take down a green smoothie before going out. Something like this normally does the trick:
I use Genuine Health protein and greens for the smoothie. If you are interested in trying them for yourself, I am running a contest right now to give some Genuine Health products away to a reader as well as offering everything from Goodness Me online store for 25% off with the code LACESLATTES.
3. Rest Up:
Holidays are a perfect time to make sure your sleep meter is topped up. Instead of watching movies till 3 AM, get to bed in good time so you are fully rested once the holidays are over.
4. Bring something you know is good for you to holiday potlucks:
Tables are laden with those chocolate peanut butter balls, sweet treats and delicious dips and breads but making something that is healthy will help you to make sure that vegetables make at least one appearance on your plate.
5. Set up challenges:
At my office, we have a health challenge running over the month of December which acts like an advent calendar, so instead of chocolate, I do push ups. I know. I felt cheated too. Also, my coach has established a December challenge where it is required to do a minimum of 5 minutes of core work a day. This has helped me to be a little more strength focused in my off season and make sure I am strong for next year.
What are your tricks for staying a healthy runner over the holidays?
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I love that your office has a holiday fitness challenge, and your plyo workout is coming with me to the gym next week! My tips are just the same as yours, with emphasis on the rest bit. Since the holidays tend to involve lots of eating, I like to have as many veggie-based options at parties/meals as possible because filling up on that means you’ve got less room for the stuff that it’s easy to overdo it on.
YES YES YES! I am so looking forward to doing a workout with you! And I can concur that you are the queen of veggies!
Fitmas! Love it.
Hi there! New to your blog 🙂 I love your tips for around the holidays! I follow the same ones- lately I’ve been a big fan of doing a HIIT workout on a day I’m super busy. I also try to pick a healthy option to bring to parties, and I also make room for little indulgences here and there, but make sure they are really worth it!
Hey! Welcome and thanks for reading! 🙂 Wishing you happy and healthy holidays! 🙂
Love these tips!! As a plant based eater, I have become used to a.) eating before I go places, and b.) always bringing something with me that I can eat. I like the idea of getting up early to workout, I will be doing that as I often wake before the birds are even chirping. Gotta make room for dessert!