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The festive season is here and we can all finally rest, spend time with our loved ones and recuperate right before we start another year.
However, the goodness and seven coloured plates of the festive season usually bring with them just a little weight gain and fitness levels might not be where they normally are throughout the year.
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Professional street skateboarder and five-time X-Games gold medallist Leticia Bufoni can’t afford to overindulge on her favourite traditional Brazilian meals as the 2020 Summer Olympics are right around the corner, to combat this Leticia has a few aces up her sleeve to maintain fitness levels during the holidays. However, she gives us tips for keeping in shape:
- You don’t have to cut out everything in an attempt to avoid weight gain.
The mistake that most people make is cutting out every craving – this ultimately works against you as you will end up craving even more food. My big family enjoys traditional Brazilian food during Christmas, you’ll find everything from turkey, raisin rice, codfish, mashed potatoes and all types of salad.
I usually avoid most of the heavy food but when it comes to desert, I can’t help it! I do have my good share of chocolate, ice cream, pudding and anything that’s sweet. Don’t overindulge and binge on everything in front of you but don’t starve yourself either, moderation is key.
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- Stay focused and disciplined.
As much as I love my sweets, especially during the festive season, I always keep in mind that I must be focused and disciplined. Keep in mind that 2020 is coming and you don’t want to start that year food fatigued and unhappy with the state of your body and health.
Don’t fall victim to food festivities, pace yourself and eat portions that are enough for you. People forget to pay attention to food portions during the holidays, they tend to binge on food and even alcohol. Eat your normal food portions that fill you up every other time of the year.
- Find opportunities for outdoor activities.
The holiday season is a time to relax and rest, but it’s also a good opportunity to find time to do some outdoor activities that you may not be able to do on a normal day. Find and take advantage of opportunities for fun outdoor activities – for example if you’re having a holiday close to the beach go for a beach jog or plan fun beach games for your whole family.
If you are in the city you can find nearby parks and exercise there. For my workouts, I usually grab a Red Bull just before – it helps my energy levels and helps me stay focused. Exercise can definitely be a fun and festive activity, just find those opportunities and make time to enjoy outdoor fun.
- Try to visit the gym during festive season.
My sister loves going to the gym so when I’m home I usually tag along with her almost every day. You don’t have to go to the gym as much as my sister and I go during the holidays but it’s great to remember that gyms don’t shut down when it’s the festive season, find a bit of time once in a while during the break to visit and it’s a great opportunity to take advantage when gyms are not crowded - you’ll have most of the equipment to yourself!
- Plan and prepare a 2020 fitness calendar.
My biggest focus is the upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics, our season starts much earlier than usual in 2020 so for sure I’ll have my plan set during the holidays to start the season well.
As much as not everyone has to prepare for the Olympics you can always start planning your 2020 fitness regime, you can start off with a short workout calendar for 2020. This will help you stay disciplined and start the year on the right mental note.
Compiled by Futhi Masilela
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