What to do Between the Holidays

Hey Fringe Fam, we hope you had the best Christmas ever and got everything you wished for, including some awesome new gear to help you get your gains. If you didn't, our website is open 24/7 so you can snag what you really wanted ;)

We know this time of year can amazing, wonderful, and filled with family and friends, which can also make it hard to stay on track and stay the course in reaching your goals, or keeping your commitments to yourself and your routine.

If that's the case for you, it's okay. Don't panic - you're in the same boat as so many others during this time, and it's understandable.

We've got some tips for you to try out as we navigate through the rest of the year to stay on track, even if it looks a little different than your normal track during the rest of the year.

Here's a few of our best tips and tricks to get your through the in-between.

Don't be a Couch Potato (strictly)

Trust us, we know just how easy it is to eat a delicious meal, some tasty treats, fill yourself up and then plop on the couch for the night. See ya! That's it for you.

That's okay every once in a while, and it's expected after a filling and heavy meal like we experience every so often on holidays. Rest is so good for us at any time of year, and especially during this time. But, instead of just laying there everyday, vegging with your pants unbuttoned, you'd feel SO much better to get up and go for even just a short walk.

It's hard from the get-go, but once you get those feet moving you'll feel like a million bucks. After a few steps, anyway.

OR, hop your keester on a Raptor Air bike and pedal to your hearts content at your own pace, burn off a little of the food baby and get a nice post-meal sweat going.

Plus, you'll get yourself some energy to play some games and continue enjoying the company of your family and friends instead of zoning out and crashing for the night.

You'll burn a few calories, feel rejuvenated, and get to enjoy more time with your family and friends. That's a win, win, win.

Alcohol is not a food group

Although, it's technically considered to be the "4th macro" behind protein, fat, and carbs because of it's magical calorie-adding properties we tend to forget about (or ignore), especially during the holidays.

Now, we're not saying you shouldn't enjoy those delicious cocktails and beer or wine, but consider what you're putting in your body. A glass of water in between each alcoholic drink will do wonders for you because not only will it keep you hydrated while you keep your buzz, but a glass of H2O for every cocktail you have will likely knock the next-day hangover right on it's butt so you can get up off of yours (or at least make it a little less painful for you) and get your barbell & favorite bumper plates moving and grooving.

Give it a shot during this holiday season and we think you might have a new rule for yourself going forward. Let us know. Oh, and don't forget to throw in a vegetable every now and then. Those are great too. We love a little bit of balance around here.

Just because the treats are there, doesn't mean you need to eat them (ALL, at once)

Enjoy your favorite sweet treats, and don't hold back on the ones that come around just once a year. But, just because ALL the mouthwatering food and desserts are there, doesn't mean you need to eat them all (at once, anyway).

This mostly applies when you're gifted sweet treats from friends, family, and coworkers. Because everyone likes sweets (and if you don't... what?) they're an easy gift for the people you just don't know what to gift, or those you know but only kinda know, like coworkers. Cookies are the way to go.

& you know what? Cookies freeze magically in the freezer and sometimes taste even better frozen. You're welcome!

Something is ALWAYS better than nothing

Like we said before, we know just how easy it can be to succumb to the couch and stay parked there for extended periods of time, out of the norm, during the holidays and in this weird in between.

Here's our trick.

Get up, put on some workout clothes, lace up your shoes (or don't... it's your garage, nobody's gonna yell if you're barefoot) and saunter out into your garage.

Set a timer for something like 15, 20, or 30 minutes. Your choice. Then, just MOVE. You don't need to plan anything beforehand if it feels like too much work during this time on top of everything else you've done to prep for the holidays.

We get it. During your set timer, just do whatever your heart desires. Go with the flow. Just MOVE. Pick up a barbell, swing your kettlebell around, or get a sweet pump with some dumbbells, even if it's out of your normal workout program.

We promise you'll feel so much better afterward, even if you just break up a fraction of a sweat compared to your normal workouts.

This is a perfect time to do the movements you don't see normally in your routine, or things that just sound like "fun." It's a great time to break out your brand new gifted gear and try out your new equipment.

If you missed out and didn't get the gear you hoped for, let us know and we can help you out.

Give yourself some grace (& a pat on the back) 

Truly, you deserve it.

The holiday season is NO joke, especially when kids and toys that need batteries and put together and in laws and every other member of the family are thrown into the mix.

It's important to give yourself some grace. Don't forget to take some time to yourself. Check in with yourself. Give yourself some normalcy, and do what your body feels you need to do in the workout department. One or two weeks out of the year is not going to kill your goals or progress, as long as you get right back on some kind of track, even if it looks different than the one you were on before. You can do it. You deserve it.

Don't stress too much

The holidays can be a crazy time of year, so don't stress too much if your routine falls away a little bit as you navigate your own holiday season. Workouts will always be there. Nutrition will be there when you're ready.

It's often better to give yourself some grace during this time and not stress about your workouts instead of putting extra pressure on yourself to get them done on top of everything else. It's okay. Nobody will judge you, but you, so take the time you need. Whatever that looks like.

If you need help getting back into the swing of your fitness routine, send us a message so we can help you refresh your workouts and have some new gear to play with.

As always, Fringe Fam, lift heavy (or don't), lift happy. Happy holidays to you & yours 💪