Christmas Time As A Personal Trainer

In the fitness industry we are all getting ready for the mad rush of people joining the gym in January and lots of enquiries for personal training, but what happens over Christmas? This is the first year in a long time that I haven’t slowed down in December in the run up to Christmas. I've been teaching classes and delivering personal training sessions and will continue over Christmas and New Year.

This could be because people have more time on their hands because they have finished work, it could be a way to save the money being spent in the pub, or it could be because they don’t want to undo all the hard work they have achieved so far. The main things I get asked are how can I keep the weight off over Christmas and stay motivated over winter?

Firstly – it's Christmas! Why be so strict with yourself? If you want an extra mince pie, go for it! However, if you need a bit of encouragement then follow my advice below.

Stay consistent

Even when you are not at work, start your day how you usually would with your usual breakfast at your usual time. We are creatures of habit after all. If you normally go to the gym or attend a class, check they are still on. Some gyms reduce their opening hours over Christmas but they will still be open for you to get a workout in.

Speak to a member of the fitness team at the gym

If you currently have personal training sessions and are likely to miss any over the Christmas period, speak to your trainer to see if there are any other days or times they can fit you in. If you do not currently have a personal trainer, why not ask if anyone has availability for a session to give you some ideas or a workout

Be mindful with your food

Christmas lunch is generally later in the day and you don’t want to fill up on chocolate so if you normally have a mid-morning snack – go for it! If you have cut your portion sizes down lately, then be mindful of how much food you are putting on your plate. A lot of us do not have normal dinners the size of Christmas dinner all the time, plus we know what is coming later that day; turkey sandwiches, dessert and sweets. Don’t deprive yourself but don’t go overboard.

Make time for exercise

Have you ever gone for a walk or run on Christmas Day? It's one of my favourite things to do. Everyone is always so cheerful and welcoming. Check your local Parkrun website to see if there is an event on near you on Christmas Day. Turn up in a Christmas hat and you’ll be glad you went.

If you would rather snooze a bit longer in the morning, why not have an afternoon walk? Put your new fitness tracker to the test! You can also set yourself a challenge; if you are watching TV in the evening, during each commercial break hold a plank for as long as you can.

Use your new 2020 diary

Start planning your month! What do you want to achieve from January? Start the beginning of the month taking your measurements, keep a food and exercise diary, and maybe even take progress photos so you can see how far you have come.

Remember your 'why'

It's one of my most used sentences when I'm teaching classes or personal training, especially when people start to flag or lose motivation. Remember why you started doing this in the first place.

12 Days of Christmas Workout

• 12 Squat press
• 11 Jumping Jacks
• 10 Lunges (each leg)
• 9 Burpees
• 8 Press ups
• 7 Mountain climbers (each leg)
• 6 Tricep Dips
• 5 Squat Thrusts
• 4 Sit ups
• 3 Leg Raises
• 2 minutes of crunches
• 1 minute plank

Repeat!

About the author: Emma Vincent is a personal trainer and Sundried ambassador.