With only a few weeks to go until Christmas, many are feeling the pressure leading up to the festive season. This is the time of year we all want to look great and feel body confident, with parties and festive nights out on everyone’s social calendar.
If you’re a PT, you’ll be familiar with clients aiming to shift those extra pounds and look their best before the all-important Christmas party season.
Check out our guide on how to motivate your clients and boost their confidence with fitness tips for shaping up in time for the festive season.
Realistic Reassurance
With all the pressure to look good, it’s easy to panic and start extreme diets or unrealistic workout plans that are doomed to fail. As a PT, reassure your client to relax and remain focused. Remind them it is possible to lose weight healthily and steadily with key changes to their diet and exercise regime. Provide structure and set achievable short-term goals with your client. With a few weeks to go, there is ample time to burn fat and shed bodyweight if your client is committed to increasing the intensity of their workouts.
Be Mindful of the Time of Year
Christmas is a busy and stressful time of year – people are pushed for time and the many treats on offer make it hard to eat with health in mind. Fitness plans should take this into account because if clients are tired or stressed, they will become demotivated. Help them plan their workout goals and stick to them so they will see results.
Tis the season of over-indulgence! Temptation and mince pies are around every corner, so advise clients to steer clear of empty calorie foods where possible and opt for healthier options. For efficient weight loss, clients should increase protein intake and swap refined carbohydrates like white bread and pasta for complex carbohydrates, such as whole-grain breads, starchy vegetables and beans.
Diary Management
Encourage clients to keep a diary of their workouts and weight loss – this will keep them motivated and allow them to clearly see the progress they have made. Advise them to take pictures as a visual reminder to see how far they have come. Keeping track of their workout schedule will give them something to aim for and discourage them from giving in to all the Christmas treats. Clients can also use the diary to count down to upcoming parties and get-togethers, using them as goalposts for achievement.
New Year Preparation
Allow clients to celebrate the results they have achieved and reward themselves at Christmas, but advise them not to undo all of their hard work by over-eating. Of course, a few treats are not unforgiveable – it’s the season to be jolly after all! Work with clients and explain that making healthier changes a permanent fixture will let them see the benefits throughout 2015 - a healthy outlook is for life, not just for Christmas.