The holidays are supposed to be a time for family, celebration and gratitude. They also bring packed calendars, travel, school events, work parties, disrupted sleep and more food than usual.
For many adults, exercise is one of the first things removed from the schedule.
The common thought is, “I’ll start again in January.”
But staying fit during the holidays does not require perfect nutrition, daily workouts or missing time with your family. It requires a realistic plan that keeps a few important habits in place.
As a husband, father, firefighter and gym owner, I understand how quickly a schedule can change. I also have a degree in Exercise and Health Science from Kennesaw State University and have spent more than 13 years coaching adults with demanding careers and family responsibilities.
My advice is simple:
Do not try to win the holidays. Just avoid disappearing from your routine.
Holiday Weight Gain Is Usually Smaller Than People Think—but It Can Add Up
You have probably heard that the average person gains five or more pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
Research does not support that claim for the average adult.
A prospective study published in The New England Journal of Medicine followed 195 adults and found an average holiday weight increase of approximately 0.37 kilograms, or about 0.8 pounds. The more important finding was that much of the additional weight was not lost during the following months.
One pound may not sound significant, but repeating that pattern every holiday season can gradually change your health and body composition over time.
The goal does not need to be aggressive weight loss during the holidays. For many adults, maintaining their weight, strength and normal routine is a successful outcome.
Avoid the All-or-Nothing Approach
One missed workout does not ruin your progress.
One holiday meal does not ruin your nutrition.
The bigger problem occurs when one busy day turns into six weeks of doing nothing.
People often believe that if they cannot follow their normal plan perfectly, there is no point in doing anything. That mindset creates two extremes:
Trying to exercise every day while avoiding every holiday food
Abandoning all healthy habits until January
Neither approach is necessary.
Instead, identify the smallest set of habits that will keep you connected to your routine.
For most busy adults, that means:
Two or three strength-and-conditioning workouts each week
Regular walking and daily movement
Protein and produce at most meals
Reasonable portions of the holiday foods you enjoy
Returning to your routine after every celebration
You are not looking for perfection. You are protecting your momentum.
1. Schedule Three Workouts Before the Week Begins
For most adults, three coached workouts per week is a realistic holiday goal.
Three sessions provide enough training to maintain strength and conditioning without making the gym compete with every family and work commitment.
Put those sessions on your calendar before the week fills up. Treat them like appointments instead of waiting to see whether you have extra time.
Research on “implementation intentions” supports this approach. In one randomized pilot trial involving middle-aged adults, participants who planned specifically when, where and how they would be active increased their steps and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity compared with a control group.
“I’m going to work out this week” is a hope.
“I’m taking the 5:30 a.m. class Monday, Wednesday and Friday” is a plan.
Your schedule could look like this:
Monday: Coached class
Wednesday: Coached class
Saturday: Coached class or longer outdoor activity
Tuesday and Thursday: 20–30-minute walk
Sunday: Rest, mobility or an easy family walk
If you know one of those days may fall apart, choose a backup class before the week begins.
2. Use a Minimum Plan for Your Busiest Weeks
Some holiday weeks will not allow you to follow your ideal schedule.
Instead of giving up, use a minimum plan:
Two full-body workouts
Two 20-minute walks
One optional short workout at home
Normal movement whenever possible
Federal physical-activity guidelines recommend that adults work toward 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity, along with muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days.
The same guidelines emphasize that inactive adults can begin with smaller amounts and gradually increase their activity. Even short bouts of movement contribute to the weekly total.
You do not have to accomplish everything in one workout. A 20-minute walk, a coached class and active time with your children all count.
3. Maintain Strength During the Holidays
Cardio is valuable, but strength training should remain part of your holiday plan.
Maintaining strength helps preserve your ability to lift, carry, climb stairs, play with your children and handle the physical demands of everyday life.
You do not need a complicated bodybuilding split. Two or three well-designed full-body workouts can cover the major movement patterns:
Squat
Hinge
Push
Pull
Carry
Brace and rotate
Run, row, bike or ski
At CrossFit Bound, our workouts combine strength training, conditioning and skill development within a coached class. The movements, weights and repetitions can be adjusted to your current fitness level.
The purpose is not to destroy yourself before Christmas dinner. The purpose is to keep training consistently.
4. Keep Moving Outside the Gym
Your workouts are important, but they are not your only opportunity to be active.
Kennesaw provides several easy ways to move during the holidays. Swift-Cantrell Park has a one-mile perimeter trail, an additional inner loop and outdoor wellness equipment. That makes it a practical option for a family walk, easy run or short bodyweight session.
You can also:
Walk after a holiday meal
Take your children to a park
Walk while viewing Christmas lights
Park farther away while shopping
Hike at Kennesaw Mountain
Play football or another game with your family
Complete a local holiday 5K
Walk for 10 minutes during a work break
Do not underestimate basic movement. A walk may not feel as impressive as a hard workout, but it helps you remain active, manage stress and maintain the identity of someone who takes care of their health.
5. Enjoy Holiday Meals Without Turning One Meal Into a Weekend
You do not have to avoid every dessert, casserole or family recipe.
Food is part of holiday tradition, and guilt does not create a healthy relationship with eating.
The problem is rarely one Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. The problem is allowing one large meal to become several days of uncontrolled eating followed by restrictive dieting.
Try these guidelines:
Eat normally before the event
Do not skip breakfast and lunch to “save calories.” Arriving extremely hungry makes it harder to make intentional choices.
Eat normal meals built around protein, fruit or vegetables and adequate fluids.
Start with protein
Build your meal around turkey, ham, lean beef or another protein source. Add vegetables, the side dishes you genuinely enjoy and an appropriate portion of dessert.
Choose what is worth it
You do not need to eat something simply because it is available. Choose the holiday foods you truly enjoy and leave the foods you can have at any time.
Slow down
Eat slowly enough to enjoy the meal and recognize when you are satisfied. Spend time talking with the people around you instead of immediately returning for another plate.
Return to normal at the next meal
There is no need to punish yourself with fasting or an extreme workout. Return to your usual meals and training schedule.
One meal is an event. It does not need to become your new routine.
6. Use Accountability Instead of Relying on Motivation
Motivation changes from day to day—especially when it is dark in the morning, cold outside and your calendar is full.
Accountability creates structure when motivation is low.
A 2026 systematic review of adult group-fitness research found that perceived capability, group relationships and certain instructor behaviors were associated with class attendance and exercise adherence, although the evidence varied between studies.
This is one reason coached group training can be valuable during the holidays.
At CrossFit Bound:
Your workout is already planned
Your coach helps adjust the workout to your ability
Your class expects to see you
Your attendance is tracked
You have specific class times to reserve
You are surrounded by people working toward similar goals
You still have to show up, but you do not have to create the entire plan by yourself.
7. Track the Behaviors That Matter
The scale can be one form of feedback, but it should not be your only measurement.
Consider tracking:
Workouts completed
Daily steps or walks
Protein-based meals
Water intake
Sleep
Energy
Strength numbers
How your clothes fit
How quickly you return after a missed day
For people who have a healthy relationship with the scale, weighing regularly can provide useful feedback.
In a randomized Christmas weight-gain trial, participants received regular self-weighing guidance, practical weight-management strategies and information about the activity required to expend the energy in common holiday foods. The intervention group maintained its average weight while the comparison group gained approximately 0.37 kilograms.
This does not mean everyone needs to weigh daily. The larger lesson is that regular feedback helps you recognize when your habits are changing, giving you an opportunity to adjust sooner.
8. Have a Travel Workout Ready
Travel does not have to mean complete inactivity.
Here is a simple workout you can complete in a hotel room, guest room, driveway or park.
10-Minute Holiday Travel Workout
Complete as many quality rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
10 air squats
8 push-ups or elevated push-ups
6 reverse lunges per leg
20 mountain climbers
30 seconds of walking or easy recovery or complete a 30 second plank hold / Hollow Rock Hold
Move at a sustainable pace. The goal is to feel better when you finish—not to punish yourself for what you ate.
If you have additional time, finish with a 15–20-minute walk / easy jog.
9. Protect Your Sleep and Recovery
Holiday schedules often lead to late nights, early mornings, travel and added stress.
You may not control every night of sleep, but you can avoid making the situation worse.
Try to:
Keep a consistent bedtime when possible
Limit alcohol close to bedtime
Stop scrolling and working shortly before bed
Hydrate during travel
Avoid stacking several high-intensity workouts when exhausted
Use easier movement when your body needs recovery
A good coach should be willing to adjust your workout based on how you are recovering.
Scaling a workout is not failing. It is using the right training dose for that day.
10. Do Not Wait Until January
January feels like the natural time to begin because it represents a fresh start.
But you do not need a new calendar to take care of yourself.
Starting during the holidays gives you an opportunity to:
Learn the movements before January
Establish your class schedule
Meet your coaches
Build confidence
Practice navigating busy weeks
Enter the New Year with momentum
If you can build consistency during November and December, you will not be starting over in January. You will already be moving forward.
How CrossFit Bound Helps Busy Kennesaw Adults Get Started
We do not expect a new member to walk into a group class and figure everything out alone.
New members can begin with our Launch Program, which includes five personal training sessions.
During those sessions, we learn about your goals, training experience, schedule, injury history and current fitness level. We teach the foundational movements and show you how workouts can be modified for your ability.
From there, you can choose the level of support that fits your life:
Foundation: Three coached classes per week
Progress: Unlimited coached classes
Perform: Unlimited classes plus 24/7 gym access
Excel: Unlimited classes, 24/7 access and nutrition coaching
Personal Training: Individualized coaching and scheduling
Hybrid Training: A combination of classes, personal training and nutrition support
Members also have access to our Recovery Room to complement their training and recovery routine.
The best plan is not always the plan with the most workouts. It is the plan you can follow consistently.
Your Realistic Holiday Fitness Plan
If you want to simplify everything in this article, focus on these six commitments:
Schedule three workouts each week.
Use two workouts as your minimum during unusually busy weeks.
Walk or move for at least 20 minutes on most non-training days.
Build most meals around protein and produce.
Enjoy your favorite holiday foods without turning one meal into several days.
Return to your normal routine immediately after disruptions.
You do not have to earn your meals.
You do not have to exercise every day.
You do not have to wait until January.
You simply need to keep showing up often enough to maintain the habits, strength and confidence you have already built.
If you have been away from fitness for a while, we will help you start at an appropriate level. If you already train but struggle during the holidays, we will help provide the structure and accountability to keep you moving.
Ready to create a holiday fitness plan that fits your schedule? Contact CrossFit Bound to schedule a free introduction with one of our coaches.
Be Strong. Be Courageous.
— Brandon Phillips
Owner, CrossFit Bound
Kennesaw State University Exercise and Health Science graduate
CrossFit Games competitor • Firefighter • Husband and father • Gym owner since 2013
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I work out during the holidays?
For most busy adults, three coached workouts per week is a realistic target. Two full-body sessions can serve as your minimum during travel or unusually demanding weeks.
Can I stay fit with shorter workouts?
Yes. Short workouts and walks contribute to your overall activity. Focus on maintaining your routine rather than believing every session must last an hour.
Should I try to lose weight during the holidays?
That depends on your goals and circumstances. For many adults, maintaining their weight and healthy habits from Thanksgiving through New Year’s is a productive goal.
Can beginners start CrossFit during the holidays?
Yes. CrossFit Bound’s Launch Program gives beginners five personal training sessions to learn the movements, establish an appropriate starting point and build confidence before transitioning into group classes.
What if I miss an entire week?
Return at the next available opportunity. Do not try to compensate with extreme dieting or excessive exercise. One missed week does not erase your progress, but delaying your return can make restarting more difficult.
Where can I exercise outdoors in Kennesaw?
Swift-Cantrell Park offers paved trails and outdoor fitness equipment. Kennesaw Mountain and the surrounding trail system also provide options for walking and hiking.
References
Yanovski JA, et al. “A Prospective Study of Holiday Weight Gain.” New England Journal of Medicine. 2000.
Mason F, et al. “Effectiveness of a Brief Behavioural Intervention to Prevent Weight Gain Over the Christmas Holiday Period.” BMJ. 2018.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
Carraro N, Gaudreau P. “Time for Change: Using Implementation Intentions to Promote Physical Activity in a Randomised Pilot Trial.” 2018.
U.S. National Library of Medicine. “Perceived Capability, Social Belonging, and Behavioral Adherence in Adult Group Fitness Classes.” 2026.
This article provides general fitness and nutrition information and is not medical advice. Anyone with a medical condition, injury, history of disordered eating or other health concern should consult an appropriate healthcare professional before substantially changing their exercise or nutrition routine.
