I completely understand – keeping up with physical therapy during the holidays is TOUGH (And maybe it’s tough not around the holidays too with demanding work and/or child schedules etc.) You have family visits and traveling, shopping to do, hosting and going to parties, not to mention all the cooking! BUT. If you are currently in PT, or thinking about scheduling that evaluation that keeps getting put on the back-burner because we’re moms (guilty here!), there IS a reason!
That reason could be that you’re having pain, leaking or heaviness which is limiting your ability to fully enjoy the hustle and bustle. Whatever the reason, it is causing a limitation on your life which affects you both physically and mentally, so even though it is tough to keep up with your PT during this time, it’s very important. Here are some of my best tips for keeping up during the holidays.
1) MAKE A PLAN
If you’re anything like my family, the holiday schedule is CRAZY. Lists on lists and 3+ calendars going at any given moment. Planning ahead is going to be your best friend – and not just planning appointments! Getting in the habit of scheduling your PT appointments in advance so that you can get the days and times that work best for you. Schedule out your exercise as well! Not only your choice of exercise, but also your PT-specific work (if its not already incorporated into your exercise program by your awesome PT 😉). This will help you remain consistent at home. Plan out your meals! Its so easy to grab-and-go, but when you’re putting low quality fuel into your body, you’re not going to be performing at your optimal best. This also trends with what you’re consuming at the numerous parties you attend or host. YES, holiday food is sooooooo good, but we also need to nourish our body with the *right* food so that we don’t get into that “food coma slump” on the regular.
2) MODIFY IF YOU NEED TO
Life is a shitshow during the holidays. There, I said it. While you have made your plan with your PT on scheduling, we understand that things come up. We can easily adjust to make it all work for you. Just make sure that you’re giving your therapist enough notice – we are 100% in on helping you reach your goals, but we can’t help if you’re not there, and your ideal spot might not be available for when you want it. I know during the holiday season my schedule is VERY limited between travel and breaks and minimal childcare etc. so knowing ahead of time really helps me stick to MY schedule!
3) DO WHAT SERVES YOU
I ALWAYS want you to choose what is going to serve you when you are busy or limited on time. I don’t want you to have to choose exercise or PT – that’s why I make it a point to get my clients off their specific PT program and into their desired activity quickly when working with them. I never want you to “sacrifice” your lifting or cardio session – a great PT will work with you on how you can include the most important exercises into your workout.
Lets keep the holiday season special and not stressful! Keeping up with your health and PT can be challenging but it doesn’t have to be, and you don’t have to fall behind. Planning makes perfect(ish) and flexibility will lessen your stress so you can survive the holidays and step into the new year with momentum!