If you are like me, part of the appeal of a training schedule for any particular goal is the routine that it creates. I always know when I’m running and approximately how far I’m running, and I can plan my day accordingly. In general, I have a tendency to plan my life out quite a bit. I rely pretty heavily on Google calendar, and my iPhone 5 tends to help run my life on many different levels. This propensity for an organized and regimented life lends itself to a great deal of productivity, and typically works really well during normal daily activities. However, sticking to a routine is always a bit harder during the holidays, and I am certainly guilty of making a few adjustments to my calendar during the holiday season. I’m sure many of you are having the same thoughts!
The beautiful epicurean and I are doing plenty of travel this holiday season, and have been thinking quite a bit about how to adjust our schedules and our diets to accomodate for our travels. Yesterday, I was able to get up early and squeeze in a chilly but quiet and relaxing 16-mile run around my parents’ neighborhood in Minnesota. They’ve already received far more snow than our paltry dusting in Iowa, but Minnesota knows how to deal with snow, so the roads and sidewalks were easily runnable
A calm and quiet morning for a run!
Keeping it simple (Stupid) makes a lot of sense for my varied schedule. Instead of locking myself into a rigid training schedule, I’m planning to dedicate a smaller block of time every day to heading out for a run or some other form of cardio workout. When I combine this with some brief upper-body work during breaks in the day, I’ll be able to keep my fitness level up without sacrificing valuable time with family.
Eating healthy during the holiday season is always a consideration as well, and the key is moderation in my opinion. Avoiding everything you love to put in your mouth just doesn’t seem reasonable, and will leave anyone more crabby than anything else. So, instead, I’ll still be allowing myself some tastes, without going overboard. The only exception for me will be continuing to avoid dairy, which has been HARD, but I decided to finally come to terms with the fact that I’m lactose intolerant.
Family = upper body workout?
So, no matter where the season brings you, who you visit, or what you celebrate (or not), I wish everyone the best this solstice season! Take some time for yourself and KISS your way into the new year
