How To Stay Fit-Focused During The Holidays!

Returning to a workout routine after a long break can be testing but keeping focused on your overall fitness goals can save you from the struggle. Here’s how you can prevent yourself from a complete fitness derailment during your break.

- Sophia Ivy Jo

What WOD? Yes, another slice of the fruitcake please! It’s easy to slip into complete holiday mode and put your fitness commitments on hold when you’re surrounded by family and friends during the festive season, or even if you’re away on a vacation. While it’s okay to give yourself a break and enjoy what the season has to offer, a complete cessation of any exercise can cost you. To prepare yourself for a smooth transition from completely not working to getting back on track, stay dynamic while enjoying the season.

What happens to your body when you stop working out?

Depending on your fitness level and how long you’ve been inactive, your body will eventually start to change. When you skip workouts for a few days up to a week, it is considered a good break for your body. But when accompanied by unhealthy food like what is usually consumed during the season, it can leave you feeling slightly bloated. “A week of no exercises for those who work out regularly won’t do anything to the body as it will still retain the benefits of regular exercise,” says Jonathan Tan, Rebel Boot camp program director. “But if you take a two to three week break, you will start losing strength,” he says. One effect will be losing control over your weight because your body becomes less capable of metabolising the calorie input. “Within three weeks, which is the breaking point, you will lose 10 percent of your strength and conditioning and 30 percent of it within two months,” he adds. Ultimately, it takes about six months of inactivity for the body to forget that it used to exercise.

Sneak in some light exercise