The season of temptation is upon us! The holidays offer so many opportunities to totally derail a training program and, let’s face it, you haven’t put in the laps and time in the gym this year to blow it on a few extra scoops of marshmallow yams, now did you? Aside from the food, all of the family gatherings, football games and other distractions of the Thanksgiving-through-Christmas season only add stress and lessen the time you have to get a workout in. Luckily, there is hope for us Vet racers to make it through the holidays with our speed-and current waist size-intact.It would be naive of me to tell you to abstain from the wonders of the holiday feast in order to spend countless hours in the gym. I know that won’t work. Instead, I’m going to try and give you some useful advice that you can apply throughout this season to keep you on track with your training and making wise decisions.
Eat. When facing the smorgasbord, one must be judicious with the carbohydrates. If you’re going to fill up on something, choose protein over carbs for keeping the extra pounds off. Turkey before stuffing. Ham before cranberries. You get the idea. And when it comes to snacks, go for the nuts and some fruit before diving your hand into the candy bowl. Alcohol is a concern this time of year as well, and far be it for me to tell you to avoid the beers during the bowl game, just try not to be the drunken uncle. Ok?Sleep. Even if you’re traveling around the country during the holidays, try and get in some extra sleep. Your work or school schedule should be a bit lighter this time of year so it’s a great opportunity to rest and get ready for the next season of riding.Move. Just because you’ve got a lot going on this time of year it doesn’t mean that you can’t get some exercise in. Even a 20-minute walk will cause more favorable physical adaptation than sitting through your cousin’s slideshow from Maui.Ok, that’s the basics. Stay tuned to www.dirtrider.com in the coming weeks, as I’ll continue to help you through the holidays with a few good workouts that you can do with little to no equipment.About the Author:
Greg Hammond has worked for Concept2 for 14 years with everyone from top athletes to weekend warriors. He still rides in the hills of Vermont and races moto in the always-competitive 40 plus vet class. Check out Greg’s Twitter account @Concept2MXMMA
