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ACTIVE Lifestyle
FITNESS
TIPS
The Holiday Hustle
By Marietta McClure, Head Trainer, McClure Fitness
Holiday season is upon us, which
means the hustle and bustle of life
increases. Adding the shopping, parties
and decorating to our already busy
lives can be exhausting. So it is only
normal that when things start piling
up, exercise is one of the first things
you cut. If you’ve done that before, it’s
time for a come-to-Jesus moment.
Look, I know you’re tired. I
know you’ve got too much on your
plate right now. But I promise that
sacrificing that one hour you spend
on yourself won’t fix anything. It will
just set you up for a tougher road.
If you hear me out, I’ll explain why
you should stick with your workouts
and how you can beat the fatigue
and gain more energy. SPOILER: It’s
not a magic pill (sorry not sorry).
Why Even Bother?
“I’m too tired to work out.”
Have you ever said that?
Want to hear something crazy?
Working out actually gives you
energy. It’s hard to believe that
when your alarm goes off for that
5 a.m. bootcamp, or when you just
got off work from the Monday-est
Tuesday ever, but it’s still true.
Skipping a workout because you’re
too tired is a very slippery slope. The
more sedentary your lifestyle becomes,
the harder it is to break out of that
cycle. If you’re sick or injured, you need
10 • Saline County Lifestyles
to rest. Otherwise, don’t let the excuse
of being tired stop you from something
that can help you beat the fatigue.
When you get your workout in,
you are creating energy by releasing
endorphins, managing stress, and
getting blood flow and oxygen to
the brain and organs. You’ll also
have improved sleep, which helps
you feel more refreshed during
the day (I’ll come back to this).
When you have that negative
talk in your head trying to
convince you it’s no biggie to skip
a workout, just remember…
Get Over Yourself
Seriously, you can’t let that kind of
negativity bring you down, because
it will (and fast). Think about how
good it feels when you finish a
workout. Imagine the rush you get
when you are pushing through.
Even if you don’t feel up for
your regular workout, you’ve got
options. No matter what, get
your body moving. Here are some
exercises that are guaranteed to
snap you out of that tiredness.
HIIT Class
A HIIT class when you’re tired
is like jumping into a cold pool.
It’s more mind over matter – you
know it’s going to be intense, but
you have to stop over-thinking and
do it anyway. This will quickly get
your body and mind in gear.
High-Rep/Low Weight
Lifting heavy weights requires a
level of focus to avoid injury that you
simply may not have when you’re tired.
Lifting lighter with more reps can be
rhythmic, and you can rely a little on
muscle memory to get through the
sets (don’t slack too much, though).
Yoga
If you need a reset and are
determined to get moving, give
yoga a shot. Yoga is a great way
to re-center, especially if you feel
mentally scattered and fatigued.
It’s relatively low-intensity but can
still give you a boost of energy.
Check Your Priorities
Trust me, I know what it feels like to
over-commit. Everyone has a million
things going, and we all have our
breaking point. When fatigue sets in
and something has to give, I know for
me, it’s time to check my priorities.
One thing I would never give up is
my workout even if I didn’t run a gym.
I want to make it easy for you to get
that workout in, no matter what. So
stick with your workouts—especially if
you’re tired. The future version of you
will be so grateful that you invested
in the today version of you! •