Sinterklaas has just passed, and Christmas and New Year's Eve are just around the corner. All holidays with lots of delicious food. During Sinterklaas, we enjoyed the traditional Dutch 'pepernoten' and chocolate letters. On the other hand, Christmas offers other temptations such as meat and greasy foods. Not to mention the oliebollen you eat during New Year's Eve. So not only eating but also exercising becomes more difficult. The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, and the house is getting cozier. But how can you keep doing exercise this holiday season? In this blog, we give tips.

Sports motivation for the holidays

To maintain weight during December and the winter, the best is to continue exercising. In addition, sports are also lovely in the winter, mainly because it keeps that annoying winter dip at bay. So here are a few tips for motivation to keep exercising in December (and beyond).

Tip 1: Dress well

There is no such thing as bad weather, only being poorly dressed, is what we always say. The weather is, therefore, NO excuse not to exercise during the holidays. It can be a bit colder outside, but luckily you can easily dress for this. Layer up and finish with a proper sports jacket. Our iconic Gal Hybrid Long Sleeve Shirt is perfect for layering under your gym jacket and keeping you warm.

Tip 2: Participate in a Santa run or New Year's dive

Do you find it difficult to run outside during winter? Then, make it more fun for yourself! Sign up for a Santa run with friends or family. A Santa run is a fun run where the participants, dressed as Santa Claus, run for charity. And secretly, it's also just a fun party and an accessible way to keep running during the holidays. Another fun activity is the annual New Year's dive! Nothing is as healthy as an ice bath, and a New Year's dip has the same effect. After such a dive, you feel completely fresh and ready to start the year sportively.

Tip 3: Turn on the Christmas music and dance

The holidays are certainly no reason to sit on the couch. Instead, fill the empty hours before and after Christmas dinner with a walk or a dance! Spotify has a lot of atmospheric and cosy Christmas playlists on which you can't sit still. So pull your family off the couch and dance! This way, the calories from the dessert are burnt in no time.

Tip 4: Put on your ice skates

Whether we can skate (again) during the holidays remains the question, but You can always schedule a visit to the skating hall. Ice skating is very healthy for the body and mind. You burn fat and grow muscles, and it is perfect for your physical condition. So you don't feel like running or going to the gym during the festive season? Then try something different and choose a sport that fits perfectly within the season.

Tip 5: Eat healthy where you can, and don't forget to enjoy

The holidays are all about good food. Therefore, try to keep eating as healthy as possible when you can. For example, start the day with a healthy smoothie and drink enough water beside all the wines. This way, you can eat the same food as everyone during Christmas dinner and feel less guilty after several delicious snacks.

Tip 6: Try to exercise 3 x a week

Exercise 3 times a week? For one, this sounds like a lot; for others, it sounds like little. However, exercising 3 times a week is more than enough because your body also needs rest to recover. So try to exercise 3 times a week during the holidays, or leave it at three times. With the previous tips, you will get here!

Want to lose weight after the holidays? Here are a few tips

Did you gain some kilos during the holidays? Don't let yourself be demotivated and look for motivation to exercise in this article. Here are 3 tips for losing weight after the holidays.

Tip 1: Eat less meat

After all the meat consumption during Christmas dinner, it's time to eat less meat. For example, try some recipes with tofu or tempeh. Not only better for your health but also better for the environment.

Tip 2: Eat more vegetables, fruit, and fibre

During the holidays, we enjoyed delicious desserts and other delicacies. It's time to be a little stricter with eating processed food and instead eat natural products such as fruit and vegetables. And to stay saturated for longer, you can add nuts and seeds to your diet. Tasty and healthy!

Tip 3: Don't be too hard on yourself

The last, but still important tip is not to be too hard on yourself. Even after the holidays, you can continue to eat delicious foods. Try to find a balance between 80% healthy food and 20% less healthy food. Balance is the magic word. Keep your diet in balance and try to exercise.

How to choose the right Christmas gift: sports sets from Lavenus

Christmas is the perfect time for presents. And what could be more fun and motivating than giving a beautiful sports set as a gift? Forget all those treats or things you don’t need and instead gift your friend a comfortable seamless gym tights or long sleeve for running. And what do you give your brother or friend, who already seems to have everything? Take a look at these practical shorts in all kinds of cool colors or a tank top for the gym. There are presents for your entire family and friend group in our webshop. But also after Christmas, our products are a perfect birthday present for that one friend who seems to have everything!