The Holiday Hustle

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 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!