Maintain your Sound Body goals during winter break
Frank Butterfield, Southern California ‘83
With more than 30 years of experience in the fitness world, Frank Butterfield, Southern California ’83, is the chairman of the Sound Body task force. He has worked for NIKE, Inc., spoken at conferences in over 30 countries, and led the national launch for the Body Training Systems programs.
Home for the holidays usually means going back to comfortable patterns and good home cooking. A few simple choices can help you go into the New Year with the same Sound Body that you took home. The main conflict comes from the instinctive need to nestle for the winter, relax and enjoy being taken care of. A few conscious decisions can keep you on track.
Push away from the table. It sounds like a simple exercise, but gets harder the longer you are home. Family dynamics can play a big part in overeating or making poor food choices. Know that walking in the door. Commit to eating consistent, healthy meals—even if that means making your own trip to the store.
Make time for exercise or sports. The athletes on your television shouldn’t be the only ones in your house. If you find yourself sitting more than usual, get up and take a walk. Exercise does not have to be strenuous, but it does have to be consistent. And your refrigerator is probably not far enough away to count.
Get recreational. If you ski, plan a few ski days. Or, make the effort to rock climb, snowboard, or scuba dive. Your body does not know the difference between exercise and recreation.
Look into your local gym. Find out what your local gym will charge you for a one- or two-week pass. Don’t skip your weight workouts. Gyms always have a guest fee. If that does not fit your budget, your body weighs enough to lift. A simple routine of push-ups, speed squats, jumping lunges, pull-ups (I don’t recommend the closet bar), jumping rope, dips and abdominal work can fill up 45 sweaty minutes.
Walk. Take stairs. Create distance. If you are going along for the ride, get dropped off before the destination and walk in. Park far from the mall entrance while doing your holiday shopping. Opt for the stairs instead of escalators and elevators.
Remember how hard you worked to get where you are. You don’t have to start over if you don’t stop. Understandably, the holidays are not a time for losing weight, improving your speed, distance or strength. But you can maintain your efforts from the last few months. Doing something moderate is more important than planning something impressive. Include some activity in your winter break plans and have a happy healthy holiday.
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