Realistic Expectations

This post could be about some many things – expectations we hold our friends to, family relationships, expectations we are held to at work or even those we hold our co-workers or employers to, expectations we have of strangers around us, but this post is actually not about any of them. This post is about having realistic expectations of myself for workouts, specifically over the holidays.

I, like many others, will be traveling for the holidays. Ryan and I will be heading back to Michigan for a week for Christmas. During that time we have many activities planned. We will be seeing both his family and mine (along with a visit with both of my grandmas), going to a hockey game, going to the zoo to see the lights, going to Greenfield Village for their December Nights exhibit, etc (I am sure you get it, a lot of ‘going’). Now along with all of the going and doing, I want to make sure that I am sticking with my workouts – especially since I will have a 15K the week after we get back, a half marathon a couple weeks after that, and another half marathon a month after that.

Right now it is easy for me to get into a routine – I go to work all day, then go work out for an hour, then go home, take a shower, start to make dinner, get stuff around the house, eat dinner with the hubby, relax for a little bit, and then do it all over the next day.

Of course I want to stay on a training schedule over the holidays, but I think it might be unrealistic for me to think I am going to get a workout in every day. Thankfully my parents have a treadmill that I can use while I am there and I am planning on at least one outdoor run.  (I just have to figure out what to wear for those crazy Michigan winters) I am sure I can ‘count’ some of the other activities that we do as workouts – like sledding – but I am still going to try and stay diligent with staying active and working out when I get a chance.

What are your realistic goals for working out/ staying healthy over the holiday season?