Christmas is eleven weeks away… That’s eleven weeks before the family parties, work parties, 12 pubs, Stephen’s night, Christmas day, New years etc. Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t go all out for all of these events, hell no that’s your call. What you’ll agree with me on is that Christmas isn’t a time that your going to lose weight and probably not stay the same weight either! So now would be a great time to push yourself and work towards something before it all kicks off!
A serious amount of work can be done in eleven weeks and you will get out what you put in to it. Get strict on your nutrition, cut down on your drinking and get some regular exercise and you will see big changes in your body by Christmas. You’ll see a lot of people participating in 6-12 week plans under strict conditions that very few people would maintain full time. This can be a great way to lose weight short term and with a bit of self restraint at the end there shouldn’t be a bounce back. Here are the steps you should start with right now to get a head start!
Set yourself a goal to lose a certain amount of weight, get to a certain body-fat percentage or fit into smaller clothes by Christmas if that’s what motivates you. Having a clear goal in mind is so important to help with motivation. See here on how to set a goal.
Make a plan on how to get to your goal. Wishing doesn’t make shit happen so you’ll need a plan. What steps will you follow to get to your goal. What have you tried before and did it work.
Check in on your progress every two to three weeks before then to make sure you are heading in the right direction and on target for your goal. Any stumbling blocks or stagnation along the way might require changes to your plan.
Stay motivated throughout the weeks by reminding yourself what your pushing yourself for and what you’ve already achieved.
Speak to a coach for help with any of the above steps. They can help guide you on the best way to reach your goal. Hiring a coach isn’t expensive and when you are committed and saving money on drink, takeaways etc. it’s the best way to get the most out of a short term goal/commitment. Get in contact with me here.
Enjoy Christmas with the peace of mind knowing how far you progressed and given yourself a buffer zone to fully enjoy the festive period. Take full advantage of all the treats left lying around the house and when your ready to get back into your healthy habits and set yourself a new goal go for it.
Eoin McMahon PT/S&C 