I find this the hardest week of the year to write a blog.
Yesterday I was on a train that didn’t really go anywhere.
Cancellations.
Delays.
People stood on platforms with shopping bags, staring at boards, looking stressed and a bit lost.
That quiet panic where everyone’s got places to be and suddenly nothing is moving.
You’ve been there before I’m sure, maybe you were on that platform.
It sums this week up perfectly.
Everyone’s busy.
Everyone’s stretched.
And the last thing you want is someone telling you to eat better and exercise more.
Same here.
I sat down to write this and scrapped the first few versions.
Too soft.
Too polished.
Too much like January talk when it’s still Christmas week and your head’s already full.
So let’s talk like normal people.
This week messes with everyone.
Members.
Non members.
People who train.
People who mean to.
The same thoughts go round and round.
“It’s basically Christmas now.”
“I’ll start again in January.”
“One week won’t matter.”
“I don’t want to ruin everything.”
“I’ll just enjoy it and deal with it later.”
Christmas dinner doesn’t mess people up.
Going missing does.
Most people don’t gain a scary amount of weight over Christmas.
The data shows it’s usually about one or two pounds.
The problem is that it sticks because routine goes out the window.
Training stops.
Steps drop.
Sleep goes off.
Then January feels like starting from scratch.
That’s what you’re trying to avoid.
Not calories.
Not food.
That grim January 1st feeling where you think, here we go again.
I had an online member message me yesterday.
They wanted to complete three sessions last week.
They only managed two before going abroad.
No drama. No guilt. Just two done.
That’s a win.
That’s exactly what this week needs.
This is not the week for perfection.
It’s the week for not disappearing.
You don’t need a plan.
You need a few non negotiables.
Two gym sessions this week.
40-45 minutes.
In and out.
Do the basics.
Leave feeling better than when you walked in.
Eight thousand steps most days.
One decent walk.
Twenty to thirty minutes more than you normally do.
Put your headphones in.
Clear your head.
Protein with at least two meals a day.
Not shakes and nonsense.
Actual food.
Eggs. Meat. Fish. Yoghurt.
Water before booze. Always. It sounds boring. It works.
Pick your drink nights.
Not every night turns into a night out just because it’s December.
Back in the gym once more before the year ends.
Even if it’s half-arsed.
In fact, especially if it’s half-arsed.
That’s it.
No tracking. No targets. No all-or-nothing thinking.
Doing something beats doing nothing every single time.
This week isn’t about fat loss.
It’s about staying in the game.
Keeping the thread of routine so January 1st doesn’t feel like a reset button you don’t want to press.
You don’t dislike Christmas.
You dislike how you feel when you let yourself slide and then have to claw it back.
And if all you manage is two sessions instead of three, or a few walks instead of loads, that’s fine.
That’s how we handle real life in other situations; why wouldn’t it apply to your health and fitness routine?
The people who do well long-term are not the ones who are perfect.
They’re the ones who stay present.
Enjoy Christmas.
See family.
Eat the things you like.
But don’t disappear.
Two sessions > none.
Movement > none.
Routine > chaos.
Do that, and you’re doing better than most think.
Merry Christmas.
I’ll see you on the other side.
-Ryan