EVERY STEP COUNTS: Coping with December temptations

Over the last few weeks we have been going through what I consider the essential pillars to success, writes CHRIS HUNT.

In the last five weeks we have specifically covered nutrition, exercise, sleep, recovery, mind-set, daily rituals and finally the overall environment.

In week threeof this positive change focused Every Steps Counts column, we touched on creating the right environment.

We mentioned Environmental Psychology which again is all focused on the interplay between an individual and their surroundings.

Well my friends, the surroundings right now are all to do with Christmas and this amazing month that we call December.

Ho, Ho, Ho!

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Let’s mention a few of the issues that have come up with my clients environments over the last week or so:

“There is chocolate everywhere… I literally can’t escape the stuff.”
“So many temptations right now… my willpower is being seriously tested.”
“It’s cold, dark and I am finding it really hard to self-motivate right now.”
“What’s the point in giving it 100%? I won’t be able to be good over Xmas anyway.”
“My free time has disappeared this month… when will I make time for training and exercise?”

These may sound very familiar and you may have said these exact statements yourself. You are not alone. There are many people out there in your position, it’s fine. Embrace this and see these issues as small tests on your journey of self-improvement and positive change.

Thriving on the seasonal indulgence

I will admit that the month of December can be a challenging month when it comes to reaching personal goals. In fact I will go as far to say that I thrive on this month.

This month allows me to eat more chocolate than I normally eat, it allows me to drink more alcohol that I normally drink and to be honest I probably eat twice as much over the festive period as I normally do in other months… this isn’t a problem at all… this is an opportunity for me to be adaptable and flexible and own my environment in other ways.

I do this by following some simple guidelines that allow some form of damage limitation and that still allow me to have fun, eat with friends and family, consume extra calories and embrace the month of December.

How to reach your goals during December

Try implementing some of the below guidelines and see if you too can see December as an opportunity and not a problem when it comes to reaching goals:

Try eating food before you leave the house. You will probably eat much less when out and about.
Select treats that are high in flavour but don’t contain 10,000,000 calories per slice
If you are going out for dinner then have a small breakfast and lunch.
Increase your training when possible to burn more calories so that your total energy balance is less affected.
Get up 30 mins earlier and go for a vigorous walk. This will burn between 100 and 150 calories for every 30 minutes walking you do. Do this 4-5 times per week and you have an extra calorie burn of potentially 500 calories per week… how does that sound?
Increase your water intake. This will suppress your appetite and help flush out extra festive toxins

You don’t need to do all of the above but if you take some steps to control your environment; you will be far better off come January. Take a few positive steps now to manage your life and you won’t be playing catch-up with the rest in January.