Momentum over perfection
Come the school holidays getting to the gym becomes a real challenge to say the least.
It’s literally a juggle;
Entertaining the kids,
Playing taxi,
Work,
Cooking,
Keeping the house in some sort of order
& somewhere in there you are supposed to look after yourself?!
Easy to see how many of us write off the holidays completely
“yeah not going to happen” – full stop.
I don’t mean to put pressure on a sore point, but this type of thinking can quickly undo months of hard work in the gym.
Here’s some loose ideas to hopefully help you navigate this difficult time.
The most important thing you can do is not write it all off before it’s begun.
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If you were getting to the gym 4 days/week, be happy with 2
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You might not be able to get to the gym but you can keep your diet in check.
“I don’t have time for that!” you might be thinking.
That’s BS.
You’ve got to eat anyway. Opening up a salad, pouring it on a plate and topping it with a tin of tuna and nuts takes all of 30 seconds to prepare. Doesn’t have to be glamorous, make it work.
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Consider dividing and conquering with your partner or friends. You take their kids for one 1hr Mon they take yours 1hr Tues.
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Open up weekends for training – go for a ride with the kids, a hike etc
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Train at home – scattered – throughout – the – day.
20 squats here, a few push ups there & throw in the grocery stair climb for good measure
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Prioritise protein. Why? It will help to reduce your muscle & strength loss in these not so ideal training environments. 2g/kg/day. Don’t stress it, just have a few shakes to make up any shortfall.
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When you do hit the gym it’s not a time to be chasing pb’s. The idea is to keep the wheels turning so we don’t lose the habit entirely.
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Don’t underestimate walking. While they ride the scooter, play at the park or waiting for them to listen
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Pick a holiday non negotiable. 10k steps/day, no junk food, 2 gym sessions/week, protein every meal – you choose.
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This is an easy one that’s hard to do: Protect your sleep. That extra quiet hour at night is tempting, but you know tomorrow’s version of you will be better if you skip it. – not only that sleep too will also do wonders to preserve the muscle you worked so hard to build.
Simply throwing around some ideas here that I hope help.
PLEASE don’t throw in the towel. It can do more damage than you ever anticipated, even long after the holidays are over.