Prendre du poids durant le sfetes

Year-end celebrations and weight training

Tips Cyril Certain 6 min

Are you ready for the sports festivities?

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The holiday season presents a real challenge for athletes, often combining a distance from their usual gym and, of course, multiple gastronomic temptations. The good news is that there are effective strategies to maintain your physical fitness while fully enjoying these precious moments with family.

As fitness enthusiasts ourselves, we completely understand your dilemma, as we have been and still go through it.

Every year, we see many athletes worry as the holidays approach, fearing they might lose their precious gains built over the months. This period can indeed be particularly tricky for weightlifting and fitness enthusiasts.

We still remember our early years of practice, where we imposed drastic restrictions on ourselves during the holidays, sometimes ruining these moments of sharing. Experience has taught us that there is a middle way, allowing for both pleasure and maintaining fitness.

Let’s start by seeing how to adapt your training routine…

Sport et fêtes de fin d'année

How to maintain physical activity away from your usual gym?

The holiday season often means family gatherings, and sometimes, being away from your gym. This should not be a barrier to continuing your physical activity.

We know how unsettling it can be to break from your routine, but these periods can even become an opportunity to explore new training approaches.

An effective bodyweight program

Here is a routine we have tested and approved: alternate sessions of push-ups (classic and declined push-ups, chair dips) and pull-ups (pull-ups if you have access to a bar, or even by chance a nearby street workout park, otherwise inverted rows under a sturdy table). Add leg exercises like squats, lunges, and hip thrusts on the floor. Do squats seem too easy, and you need weight? Try the pistol squat (a one-legged squat), you might need assistance more than extra weight.

Chest & Triceps Back & Biceps Legs HIIT With family Classic push-ups The ultimate basic exercise. Keep the body tight, lower until you almost touch the ground. Chest, triceps, shoulders 3-4 × 12-15 reps Decline push-ups Feet elevated on a chair or bed. Emphasizes the upper chest and shoulder work. Upper chest, deltoids 3 × 10-12 reps Chair dips Hands on a stable chair, legs extended in front. Lower until elbows are at 90°. Triceps, chest 3 × 10-15 reps Pike push-ups Inverted V position, head towards the ground. Excellent substitute for shoulder press. Shoulders, triceps 3 × 8-12 reps Pull-ups If you have access to a bar or a street workout park. The king of back exercises. Lats, biceps, forearms 3-4 × max reps Inverted row (table) Lie under a sturdy table, grab the edge and pull your chest towards the table. Lats, rhomboids, biceps 3 × 10-15 reps Superman Flat on your stomach, lift arms and legs simultaneously. Hold for 2-3 seconds at the top. Lower back, spinal erectors 3 × 12-15 reps Towel curl Pass a towel under your foot, pull with your biceps creating resistance with the leg. Biceps 3 × 12-15 reps/arm Squats Feet shoulder-width apart, lower as if sitting. Keep your back straight and knees aligned. Quadriceps, glutes 4 × 15-20 reps Pistol squat Squat on one leg, the other extended in front. Too easy with classic squats? Try this! Quadriceps, balance 3 × 5-8 reps/leg Walking lunges Advance with alternating lunges. Back knee grazes the ground, front knee does not go past the toes. Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings 3 × 12 reps/leg Floor hip thrust Back on the ground, feet flat, push hips upward. Squeeze glutes at the top of the movement. Glutes, hamstrings 3 × 15-20 reps Standing calves On a stair step, rise on tiptoes then lower heel below the step level. Calves (gastrocnemius) 3 × 20-25 reps Holiday HIIT protocol Maximum effort Active recovery are enough to keep your metabolism active Burpees The complete movement: squat → plank → push-up → squat → jump. The ultimate calorie burner. Full body 30s max reps Mountain climbers In plank position, alternately bring knees to chest as fast as possible. Abs, cardio 30s max reps Jumping jacks Jump while spreading legs and arms simultaneously. Simple but highly effective. Cardio, coordination 30s max reps Squat jumps Classic squat with an explosive jump on the way up. Land softly, chain directly. Legs, explosiveness 30s max reps Digestive walk Organize post-meal walks by gradually increasing the pace. 20-30 minutes are enough to aid digestion and regulate blood sugar. Improvised dance session Great for cardio and family bonding! Put on music and let loose. No one judges during the holidays. Mini-competitions Launch challenges: who can hold a plank the longest? Most squats in 1 minute? Create teams for more fun. Active games Football, badminton, frisbee in the garden... Take advantage of the space and the number for group activities. Recommended apps

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30s
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30s
15-20 minutes

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✓ Nike Training Club ✓ Freeletics ▶️ YouTube (HIIT, poids du corps)

Reinvented cardio

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is our best ally during the holidays. Not only is it effective for maintaining your physical condition, but it also requires little time.

In our team, we like to alternate 30 seconds of maximum effort (burpees, mountain climbers, jumping jacks) with 30 seconds of active recovery. (A 15-20 minute circuit is enough to keep your metabolism active).

Dynamic family activities

Turn family moments into opportunities for physical activity:

  • Organize post-meal digestive walks, gradually increasing the pace
  • Suggest impromptu dance sessions (excellent for cardio and family bonding)
  • Initiate mini-competitions of planking or squats

Apps and YouTube channels

To support you, several free apps like Nike Training Club or Freeletics offer excellent bodyweight programs.

Many YouTube channels also share complete sessions adapted to bodyweight or HIIT.

We’ve got the “move” part covered, now let’s tackle the ultimate temptation, the “eat” part.

Assiette diète de noël

How to smartly manage your diet during the holidays?

The training part is the easiest part, as you often find yourself alone facing yourself. The meal part will require a bit more mental strength, as the group effect, the jovial side, can derail your goals.

Preparation before holiday meals

Minimize the calories consumed during the day as much as possible.

How to do it?
It’s simple:

  1. Stay busy to avoid snacking cravings.
  2. Favor meals and snacks rich in protein and fiber. This combination will help you feel full longer.
  3. Stay active, for example by reaching a minimum of 10,000 steps during the day.
  4. If you feel like snacking, a large cup of hot tea can help soothe those cravings.

Some people also prefer to fast and save all their calories for the evening meal. However, this method is not suitable for everyone, as some people may then overeat during that meal.

The essential: choose the approach that suits you best!

How to compose your sporty holiday plate?

For a typical Christmas meal, we recommend following 2 rules. Do not take seconds, do not consume sugary sodas.

  • Start with seafood, turkey, or smoked salmon (watch the portion for salmon), rich in protein and essential fatty acids
  • For the main course, favor turkey or capon (remember to remove the skin) and fill half of your plate with side vegetables
  • Limit starchy foods (chestnuts, dauphine potatoes) to a quarter of the plate (about the size of your closed fist)
  • For the yule log, allow yourself a reasonable portion at the end of the meal when satiety begins to set in

For the must-have dishes:

  • Foie gras: opt for a thin slice on whole grain bread rather than brioche bread
  • Sauces: ask for them on the side to better control the quantities
  • Cheeses: favor goat or sheep cheeses, which are less caloric than fatty cheeses

The question of alcohol

We’ve talked about it before, but alcohol is the enemy of bodybuilding and athletes. But if you really want to commemorate this moment with your loved ones, we recommend the “Three glasses of water, one glass of alcohol” alternation and prefer to advise champagne (less caloric) over cocktails. (A glass of champagne = about 95 kcal). Remember, hydration is key.

Between holiday meals

Maintain a diet rich in protein and fiber between festivities. Our protein bars make an excellent snack to control hunger. Increase your intake of water and green tea to promote natural detoxification.

Finally, let’s now move on to the psychological aspect, often overlooked but fundamental…

Repas de noel de sportif

How to maintain mental balance during the holidays?

The psychological aspect is often the biggest challenge of the holidays. Guilt and stress can quickly ruin these moments that are meant to be precious.

Accept the exceptionality of the holidays

First, relax and understand that a few days of changing habits will not compromise months of training.

We actually advise our athletes to see this period as a regenerative break, both for the body and the mind.

Avoid extremes

The “all or nothing” syndrome is the number one enemy of athletes during the holidays. We encourage a flexible and responsible approach: maintain your best habits (like training) while allowing for reasonable indulgences. (80% discipline, 20% flexibility).

Manage social pressure and teasing

Our solutions for handling “Come on, just a bit more!” or “Wow, they’re so serious”:

  • Prepare kind but firm responses, little sniper punchlines
  • Offer to share a portion rather than outright refusing
  • Focus on what you can eat rather than the foods and drinks you’re going to restrict.

And finally…

At Dix, we are convinced that the end-of-year holidays can be approached calmly, even for athletes.

Our balanced approach explained in this article combining adapted training, reasoned nutrition, and a calm mind will allow you to fully enjoy the festive meals, family, and of course your gifts!

And to effectively support you during this special period, you can always add our premium quality Fat Burner, specially formulated with 10 natural active ingredients, including L-Carnitine to optimize the use of fats as an energy source and Guarana to keep your metabolism active.

Remember that long-term consistency is far more important than a few occasional indulgences. Enjoy these moments of sharing while staying aligned with your goals.