Holiday breaks are coming, and plenty of athletes need a break. However, when it's time to come back to campus, you want to be in the same shape as when you left to continue your peak performance in-season or to continue your growth out-of-season. That's easier said than done, so here are a few steps to follow during holiday breaks to ensure you don't fall off track.
Plan Your Workouts
When it comes to the holiday breaks, every athlete wants to stay in peak condition, and a surefire way to do so is to develop a workout plan. Contact a local gym to ask if they have a month pass to buy for winter break and make use of that pass by getting to the gym frequently as if you were at school. If you don't want to use the gym, use your neighborhood and keep your cardio up while burning calories with morning runs that will leave the rest of your day free to spend with family and friends.
Related: 4 Ways Track Stars Can Create a Balanced Workout Routine in the Off-Season
Control Your Diet
You are on break, so you should enjoy yourself and eat some good food. However, stay consistent with the diet you had at school to ensure you don't start eating so much bad stuff that it's unhealthy for you. A slice of pumpkin pie or a couple of Christmas cookies aren't going to kill you and are probably well-deserved for the work you have been putting in, so go ahead and treat yourself. But consider combining that once-in-a-while dessert with continued daily vegetables and fruits, proteins, and some carbohydrates to fuel your workouts.
Related: 3 Grab-and-Go Protein Drinks for Athletes
Hang Out with Friends and Family
Hanging out with friends and family over holiday breaks is necessary. It can also be a great way to stay in shape in multiple ways. Hanging out with friends can encourage you to get to the gym with them or even take a trip to the local park to play some basketball or football to catch up, exercise, and have fun. The same principle applies to your family if you have any siblings or your parents. Get competitive and challenge them to a game or two. The current trend of pickleball has swept the nation for parents to get in shape, so challenge your mom or dad to a game or two and see what happens–you might even lose. In addition, just hanging out with your family at home by watching a movie or catching up on the couch is a great way to relax physically and mentally from the busy schedule you have been used to at school.
It is essential to stay in shape during holiday breaks, so no one is saying you have to eat perfectly and exercise twice a day every day for the whole time. Follow the above tips and you will be just fine when the break is over. Don't forget to enjoy the break with food, friends, and fun because after all, it is a break.
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* Originally published on November 29, 2022, by Scott Abramson
