As a personal trainer I do not, and will not promote restrictive diets. I know most of us like a drink or two and would hate for my clients to miss out on social events in fear of gaining weight.
Perhaps sometimes I’m too soft with client indulgences but I’d say I’m like that because for a long time, it was me who was the restrictive one, I’ve been on that side of it. I was scared to enjoy a meal out with friends and would make sure I used the gym in the day to ‘earn it’. I would worry about family gatherings at a house with buffet food I didn’t choose. I would wake up early on my family’s birthdays to make sure I got my session in before we would celebrate. I would be sure to check when I could get back to the gym after it closed for any holiday.
At some point I realised I was completely wasting my time. While I was worrying and feeling anxious I was missing out on creating special memories. I don’t want to look back and think about what I could have said yes to, what could have been a great day, what cold have been seeing someone for the last time.
Do you?
Finding a balance
In the average month you might find two or three social events pop up. Some might be planned like a birthday meal out, or a family gathering. Others like a spontaneous coffee and cake, or a chilled drink that quickly turned in to a bad head the next day, are pretty unplanned.
The key is to find a good balance. You need to prioritise what’s important to you!
If you have events coming up that do clash with your usual gym and/ or fitness routine than make changes where you can, be adaptable.
If you’re having an evening meal, try to use the gym in the morning BUT only if you can. Don’t force yourself awake at a crazy early hour just to make it in.
If you have less time to fit your workout in, make it a shorter, more intense one.
If you can’t make it into the gym, have yourself a 10/15-minute home HIIT workout.
If you can’t do anything, just relax. The gym won’t know if you didn’t make it in and it will be there when you can get back to it.
The Holidays
It’s often feels even harder to keep up that balance over holiday seasons. With Christmas creeping up on us bringing a season of work parties, extended family gatherings and the usual Christmassy night with the girls, it’s now easier than ever to get caught up in the social aspects. This is also a time of overwhelm and anxiety for many. Trying to plan your invitations around your gym sessions can be a tough job and bring waves of stress and worry.
My top tip is simple. Accept that there are certain points in the year where your usual routine will undoubtedly be thrown off a little. You may manage 2 or 3 workouts in the week instead of the usual 5, and that’s ok. You might have to cut your workout down to fit it in at all, that’s ok too. You may have so many family plans over the main few days that you have no chance of getting a workout in, and that is still ok.
I workout because I love to
It makes me happy to feel strong, to see and feel improvements in myself as my sessions progress.
It also makes me happy to spend time with people I love.
So say yes
You don’t want to look back at the years you were too obsessed with the number on the scale, too focused on getting super ‘toned’ to realise you were saying no to so many things.
Say yes to the party, enjoy the food you love and order the drink you relish. Have a meal with your partner and a dessert every now and again. Make memories with the people you love.
On the other days, keep training hard and often, eat healthy most of the time and be wise in your dining choices.
Remember, the gym is something to fit in around your life, not the other way around.
