6 Things to Focus on in December
There’s SO much information out there about how to manage Christmas, stop the overwhelm and peer pressure to go to a gazillion social events that you don’t even want to be at.
First things first is that we don’t want to overcomplicate and instead simplify as much as we can.
Know that you already have the knowledge, experience and tools at your fingertips to take the action you need.
You just need to believe.
… And take the action you need.
I’ve put together a simple guide below to help remove you from the madness that simultaneously is making it harder on yourself than it needs to be.
Just before we dive into this I want to set the tone that bit further and remind you that Christmas is a time of celebration, connection, family and fun. It’s very personal and different to each an every one of you. The common theme that has showed up amongst my ladies I coach is that it’s the month where ‘all the work i’ve done will be undone,’ ‘I have to go all out on every social occasion when I don’t want to,’ ‘December is a write off,’ to the ‘ahhhh fuck it’ moments.’
The truth? December is just like any month. Christmas Day is only ONE DAY out of your whole year. It’s time to change that mindset that we don’t need to just stop because it’s Christmas. You need to get clear on what this time of year is to you and act accordingly.
So lets get started…
Rest, Reset, Recharge & Refocus
You’ve had a busy year, lots of things going on and big end of year targets and deadlines to achieve. This is the perfect opportunity to help you recoup some of that energy, get some more sleep and recharge how you see fit for you.
Most women I work with have reached a point where they’re at or on borderline burnout. It’s time to put the focus back on you.
It may mean that you have more time on your hands so you choose to go out for more walks, or working out.
It may mean that you have been full on and having days where you’re not setting the alarm as sleeping in more is what you need
It may mean cancelling plans because you don’t have the mental capactity… and the list goes on!
Whatever it is to you and that YOU need - you need to prioritise.
2. It’s not a time to diet
As much as we like to think and hope. I urge you to be realistic and manage your expectations. Typically you’re socialising more than usual, consuming more than usual and managing your end of year work diary whilst holding down the fort at home.
By reframing the mindset here you’re able set that you can still make progress you just reset your attention, whether it’s:
Building on your nutritional habits
Taking rest and recovery
Lifting heavy in the gym & moving more
Continuing to work on your freedom with food relationship
Your body is your vessel and your home. It’s learning every day to step into a position and a place to help you improve your mindset and relationship to self
Be kinder with your time, recovery and how you speak to yourself
Learning to say no to things, people and environments that zap your energy
Learning to be in tune with yourself, environments and people that uplift you and make you a better version of you
Sleeping more - the most underrated FREE tool for us (yes there are circumstances if you have children especially). However its typically left last and for us as women is helps us regulate or hormones, reduce stress and come back to homeostasis. The more recovery and sleep should be at the forefront of your days, not just for Christmas.
So this Christmas zoom out from the immediate things and areas you’ve been working towards. Look at everything else that has been going on and amazingly for you!
3. Aim for a minimum of 2-3 sessions
This is a good baseline to aim for especially if you’re on the move this Christmas, visiting people and maintaining consistency. You’re busy I get it - so if you look at it in the frame of mind that maintaining what you have and have done thus far is better than nothing. Doing something is keeping you in line and on the move.
This is up to you on what those sessions look like. Taking ownership and managing your expectations is key. Leave time for family walks, getting outdoors, workout that raise your heart rate but keep you strong and your aerobic capacity going.
Anything you do more of is a bonus. Remember things might change and you may realise you want something else for your holidays. Set your intentions and be fluid with your actions.
This is the time of the year where you will see gyms and classes getting quieter. Lots of people will be stopping or / and dropping the amount of exercise sessions they do. There are lots of different reasons for this:
Motivation is lower this time of the year.
A busier social calendar.
School holidays.
Reduced gym opening hours.
This time of the year is seen as a time to ‘relax’ and wind down. Which is fine if that is really what you want to do. However, it makes sense to use some of this additional time that you probably have off work and invest it into exercise?
4. Keeping activity high outside of the gym
This follows on nicely here to this point is to keep your activity high where you can, go for the walks, connect with family. Feeling full and heavy? Go walk it off, or cycling may be your preference.
We have all been there where you’ve overeaten that bit to much and it comes back to get you collapsing in the moment on the sofa. Be mindful and listen to hunger cues so you’re not just overeating for the sake of it. The point is keep your body moving, it doesn’t mean you need to stop, it means you get to decide what it looks like and feel like to what you need, not because on what everyone else needs.
Take time out to enjoy beach strolls, walking in the snow, in the rain - making memories!
Keeping your activity levels up high and making the conscious effort to move more is probably a good idea. Not only are you going to be burning more calories, it will also help with the food side of things. A couple of big triggers for people overeating are boredom and stress. Walking (especially outside) will help you reduce both of those things.
Several simple and great ways you can increase your daily activity include:
Morning / evening walks.
Taking regular movement breaks.
Walking to places instead of taking the car.
5. Plan social events in advance and how you want to show up to them
This is key. There’s so much going on and people pulling for your attention left, right and centre. So three things for you to really tune into is:
What do you want to prioritise - list 3-5 things
What do you want to set boundaries on - list 3-5 things
What are your intentions for the festive period - list 3-5 things.
An example and of mine below are the following:
My priorities - connection with family and friends overseas, maintaining my training, morning walks, taking time off!
My boundaries - taking time out for me, know when sleep is more important, surrounded by great people
My intentions - to enjoy Christmas in the tropics, stay active, but rest & recharge ready for a takeover in 2023!
So when it comes to social events - prioritise how you want to feel? What you need? What events you must go to and experience? But also how you want to show up, drinking, what you can control around the events, before to after. You may want to be the designated driver. The most important part is you’re clear with how you set out your day and events.
The best way to approach these social occasions is by asking yourself the following questions…
Do I need to go to this event?
Do I want to go to this event?
Will I enjoy this event?
Am I happy with the ‘trade off’?
6. Planning and reflecting into the new year
This is such a great opportunity and time of the year to reflect on your year. All the great things you achieved and especially given it being a full year from the pandemic (where has this year gone by the way?) where we’re re-establishing a whole new routine and reconnecting to the world and people around us.
Take the time out to reset, reflect, recharge those batteries and refocus your attentions into another year to be alive on this planet, to do the things you want to do, opportunities to create, places to travel, people to be around.
Set powerful goals that are important to you.
Here’s to writing the next chapter of your book and life story. Never settle and keep doing the things of where the energy shows up.
Remember Christmas is a day in the calendar - it doesn’t mean everything has to go out of the window! Maintain your consistency, apply what you know, what you don’t you learn.
If you’re wanting to take your fitness, life, mindset next level join the Beyond Strong Method crew to go from surviving to thriving. Connect with me here and enquire on how we can help you start thriving in your mind, body next level here.
