Hello, Champion!
You know well that the holidays can turn into a real minefield for someone like you, who takes their physical and athletic form seriously.
Amidst the sparkling lights and laden tables, temptations abound, and the desire to let loose is always just around the corner.
But what if I told you there’s a way to fully immerse yourself in the joys of Christmas, indulging in those culinary delights without compromising all the hard work done throughout the year?
Yes, it’s really possible!
And I’m not talking about the usual “miraculous” method that promises weight loss without any sacrifice but something scientifically proven and that, if correctly dosed, will allow you to eat practically anything without throwing away a year of effort.
The big problem for all athletes, like me and you, during these days is indeed having to decline many invitations from friends, relatives, or colleagues.
If one is not careful, there’s a real risk of ending up looking more like Santa Claus than an athlete once the holidays are over.
You know how hard it is to achieve certain results and “throwing away” everything for 15 days of revelry doesn’t seem like the right choice.
What do you think?
The major issue is that it affects not just the aesthetics, but the training sessions as well.
Training with the Wrong “Fuel” Clogs the Perfect Machine That Is Our Body and Limits What You Can Achieve During Your Workouts.
This leads to you suffering more to achieve less.
Moreover, a completely unbalanced diet worsens sleep and, consequently, recovery.
To do things correctly, these times of the year should be planned as integral parts of athletic preparation and diet, but for now, let’s settle and try to discover some simple and effective tricks to come out unscathed.
Let’s start with one of the tools you can use with my foolproof method to survive the holidays:
Intermittent Fasting!
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting isn’t a diet, but rather an eating pattern. Instead of telling us what to eat, it focuses on when to eat. There are several methods, but the most popular among athletes include:
- 16/8: This method involves fasting for 16 hours followed by an 8-hour eating period. For example, you might choose to eat only between 12:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
- 5:2: This approach involves eating normally or even in excess (like on holiday days) for 5 days a week, reducing caloric intake to 500-600 calories for the other 2 days, which do not necessarily have to be consecutive.
- Eat-Stop-Eat: Involves a complete fast for 24 hours, once or twice a week.
Why is Intermittent Fasting Effective for Athletes?
- Improves Body Composition: Intermittent fasting can help reduce body fat while maintaining muscle mass, which is crucial for athletes.
- Increases Insulin Sensitivity: This is vital for efficient energy management and maintaining blood sugar levels.
- Boosts Cell Regeneration: Fasting promotes autophagy, a process where cells clean up damaged components, enhancing regeneration and recovery.
How to Integrate Intermittent Fasting Into the Holidays?
During the holidays, you can adopt intermittent fasting to enjoy festive meals without excessive guilt. Here are some tips:
- Plan Your Workouts: Use the eating period to load up on energy before an intense workout. After working out, take advantage of the eating period to recover with essential nutrients.
- Listen to Your Body: During fasting, pay attention to your body’s signals. If you feel weak or tired, it may be necessary to adjust your fasting regime.
- Maintain a Balanced Diet: During eating windows, focus your diet on nutritious and balanced foods to maximize benefits.
Intermittent fasting offers a flexible and scientifically supported approach to maintaining physical fitness during the holidays.
However, it’s essential to remember that each athlete and sport is unique and requires a careful assessment before making any serious mistakes that could compromise health and performance.
To understand how to best integrate intermittent fasting into your routine, feel free to write to me on WHATSAPP: +41774362962.
Organizing Workouts (Method 1)
The second strategy I hinted at earlier is to organize workouts during times when your “battery” is charged.
To do this, you can organize your meals so that before and after workouts, you consume a source of carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed, ensuring that digestion does not interfere with your sports performance. Simple carbohydrates such as glucose, sucrose, or maltodextrins are ideal choices!
Here are all the steps to follow in practice:
Pre-Workout
- Consume simple carbohydrates about 30-60 minutes before your workout. This ensures that the food is digested and energy is readily available.
- Recommended foods: Fresh fruit such as bananas, dates, honey, or sports drinks that contain glucose or maltodextrins.
- Hydration: Don’t forget to drink water or electrolyte beverages to stay hydrated.
During the Workout
For extended sessions: If the workout lasts more than an hour, consider consuming liquid carbohydrates or energy gels to maintain energy levels.
Post-Workout
- Immediate refueling: Within 30 minutes of finishing your workout, consume simple carbohydrates to quickly replenish glycogen stores. This is also the ideal time for protein intake to aid muscle repair.
- Food options: A protein shake with fruit, maltodextrins and protein, a jam sandwich, or an energy bar.
- Fluid restoration: Continue hydrating to replace fluids lost during exercise.
By properly organizing meals around your workout, you’ll gain the maximum benefit from intermittent fasting without experiencing performance drops.
WARNING: If you do not properly organize your meals, your workouts could suffer, and it would be pointless to try to force through without the necessary energy to complete the work.
Organizing Workouts (Method 2)
The third “secret” to maintaining your physique during the holidays is to schedule your workout BEFORE a major lunch or dinner.
This way, your body will be ready to handle all the extra food you’ll consume during the feast!
The best type of workout to perform is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). If you want to learn more about how it should be organized, you can read this article (written in italian) of mine where you’ll find additional information on intermittent fasting as well!
Conclusions
These are just some of the tricks you can use to get through the holidays unscathed.
To dive even deeper into this topic, you can listen to this podcast.
Or, you can get a head start by watching this video that helps you get back in shape after overindulging:
If you still want more, write to me at roberto@undertraining.ch, and I will help you find the right strategy for your needs.
Warm regards and always stay in shape!
P.S. Just make sure it’s not the shape of a panettone 😜
Roberto Pusinelli
Doctor of Exercise Science
Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics
Expert in weight loss and anti-aging
Health Connector (I interface with all professional figures in the health and performance field to find the best solution to achieve your goals)
IG: @roberto_pusinelli_rowing
