Time to Start Thinking About the Holiday Season

By Team Beachbody

It's August: the days are long, the nights are warm, and summer's blazing away in all its glory. Now's the time to start planning for your holiday season.

Okay, so this may seem like a little spoiler to your summer fun but consider this: just why is the holiday season so difficult to get through without needing to make a major New Year's resolution by the time it's over? Mainly it's due to lack of planning. The days get shorter and colder and it's harder to get outside. Then, from October through January, life becomes one holiday bash after another. It kind of sneaks up and then, bang, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's-who has time to stay in shape!?!

So this is the year that you don't let the holidays sneak up on you. Always blow your New Year's resolution? How about this: get to the next New Year without needing to make one!

Here are some tips to help you on the way:

• Plan for a winter's event. A February marathon, January ski trip, winter jaunt to Cancun. Give yourself a goal that you want to achieve close to the New Year. This way you can't put off getting ready for it now.
• Get on a program, pronto. You can instill habits in one month's time, but the closer to the holidays you get, the harder it will be to start. Get going now and fitness will be second nature by the season. Then, it will seem more strange to accept that piece of holiday cake at the office than to turn it down.
• Plan your program. Get out a calendar and mark down what you want to accomplish each month. It is important not to look outside when doing this. Keep in mind the weather will get bad, the days will get short, and more time will be required of you toward the end of the year. Now make a realistic training and dieting plan that takes all of this into account. This way, you won't be blindsided by candy at school or eggnog in the office.