Hey there,
A client recently messaged me to tell me he would be traveling for the week of Christmas. He knew his family would be making some of his favorite dishes, some of which aren’t the type of healthy foods he’d typically include in his diet.
“Is it OK if I indulge a little?”
My response was:
“Of course you can!”
In fact, I told him to stop his food tracking and calorie counting altogether on those days.
I’ve been that person that counts calories on Christmas. And frankly, it just sucks.
Feeling guilty about what you eat on holidays or other special occasions takes so much of the joy out of the experience. And in reality, it doesn’t matter much in the long run.
The truth is that one extravagant meal, one lazy day, or one missed workout isn’t going to ruin all of your health and fitness-related goals.
It’s not what you eat or whether you crush your workout on holidays, birthdays, or special occasions that make the biggest difference in your overall health. It’s what you do the rest of the year that matters.
So go ahead, indulge a little this holiday season. Have your favorite holiday cookie, eat a slice or two of your grandmother’s homemade pie, and have seconds without worrying about what it will do to your waistline.
Savor the deliciousness of every bite. I know I will.
What I’m reading —
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
I’ve always been a summer person. While some people look forward to the crisp leaves of fall, I fight the change in seasons with ever fiber of my being. In this beautifully written book, the author writes about how winter, whether the season itself or hard times, can be a transformative time of rest and retreat allowing us to come back stronger in the spring. Highly recommended.
What I’m listening to —
It’s not about manifesting, it’s about taking action / The Daily Stoic Podcast
Creating a life that you want is all about thinking then taking action — not about dreaming and waiting.
A quote that inspires me —
“If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.” — Greg McKeown
What I’m training —
Here’s a 12-minute HIIT workout using a park bench I posted on Instagram this week.
Three new workouts —
Shadow Boxing Conditioning HIIT Workout (12 minute, jump rope)
234 Rep Kettlebell Challenge Workout (Time challenge, kettlebell)
Sprinter Bodyweight Challenge Workout (Time challenge, equipment-free)
You can get these and all future workouts right in the 12 Minute Athlete app when you subscribe as a Super Athlete.
Questions? Feedback? Content requests?
Please feel free to reply directly to this email if you have any questions or comments (yes, I am a real human). I get a lot of emails and messages, so I can’t reply to all of them, but I do read everything you guys send me!
Here’s to enjoying the holidays without the guilt,
– Krista