12 Ways to Keep Your Workouts—and Your Sanity—Strong, All Season Long
The holidays are joyful, busy, and often unpredictable. Between travel, celebrations, and packed schedules, it’s easy for fitness routines to slip off the radar. The goal this season isn’t perfection—it’s consistency. These practical tips will help you stay motivated and maintain your workouts through the holidays, so you can start the new year feeling strong, energized, and proud of your momentum.
Tips to Stay Motivated
1) Commit to minimums, not masterpieces
Set a non-negotiable minimum you can hit even on chaotic days: 20 minutes of movement, 7k steps, or 30 minutes in the gym. Mini wins stack; missed weeks don’t. If you exceed the minimum, that's great. If not, you still kept the streak.
2) Put workouts on the calendar like any other event
If it isn’t scheduled, it’s optional. Book your sessions (even quick ones) on the calendar before social plans fill the week. Treat those blocks as you would a meeting you can’t miss.
3) Use personal training as your anchor
The holidays are when accountability is worth its weight in gold. A personal trainer can:
- Compress a high-quality workout into 30–45 minutes
- Adjust on the fly around travel and sore spots
- Keep progressive overload going so you don’t plateau
- Build you a “hotel gym” or “living room” plan for the weeks you’re away
Pro tip: Book your personal training sessions now for the busiest weeks (Thanksgiving → New Year’s). Let them be the backbone; everything else is a bonus.
4) Embrace the “A/B/C” workout system
Prepare three versions of each workout so you never have to skip:
- A: Full session (45–60 min, full equipment)
- B: Condensed (25–35 min, supersets/EMOM)
- C: Micro (10–20 min, bodyweight/steps)
No time to get your full workout in? Drop to options B or C, don’t overthink it.
5) Make your environment do the nudging
Lay out clothes the night before, keep a travel kit (mini bands, jump rope), store a foam roller by the couch, and keep a water bottle visible. Reduce friction, and your future self will thank you.
6) Use events as movement prompts
Holiday shopping? Park far and walk fast. Family movie? Do a mobility flow on the floor. Airport layover? Pace the terminal. These little choices keep your step count—and energy—up.
7) Recover like an athlete (so you can train like one)
The season’s extra stress makes recovery non-negotiable:
- Active recovery: 20–30 minutes of easy cycling, incline walk, yoga flow, or light swim
- Mobility & tissue work: foam rolling, lacrosse ball, 30-minute assisted stretch session
- Modalities: infrared sauna and cold plunge contrast therapy, cryotherapy, compression boots, massage, assisted stretch
- At-home go-tos: legs-up-the-wall for 5–10 minutes, 6–8 slow nasal breaths between sets to down-shift, 5-minute evening stretch
Pro Tip: Aim for 1–2 dedicated recovery sessions per week, plus 5–10 minutes of micro-mobility most days.
8) Respect sleep and hydration
Lack of sleep and dehydration tank motivation. Maintain a 7-hour sleep period, limit alcohol the night before training, and keep a water bottle filled and handy. Electrolytes help when traveling or after sauna/cold therapy.
Pro Tip: During holiday events, enjoy festive mocktails or alternate with water and lemon or lime between alcoholic beverages.
9) Keep nutrition simple, not strict
Hit a protein target at each meal, add a veggie, and decide ahead of time which treats are worth it. You don’t need austerity, just intention.
10) Track streaks, not perfection
Use a simple habit tracker: for movement, for recovery, for protein, and for sleep. A visible streak is powerful when motivation dips.
11) Have two travel workouts ready
Dumbbell hotel workout (25–30 min):
3 rounds: DB goblet squat 12, DB bench or floor press 10, DB RDL 12, DB row 10/side, 60s brisk walk
No-equipment (15–20 min):
3–4 rounds: 12–15 squats, 8–12 push-ups (elevate if needed), 12 hinge walkouts, 20s side plank/side, 30s fast stairs or high knees
Pro Tip: Members of The St. James Performance Club get complimentary access to the Strivers App, which offers personalized fitness programs and coaching—plus a daily Workout of the Day that can be completed at home, on the road, or in the Performance Club.
12) Give yourself a deload week (on purpose)
Pick one heavy week (e.g., the week of travel) to reduce volume or intensity by ~30–40%. That strategic deload keeps momentum without burning out—and it pairs perfectly with more recovery.