For many athletes living in North America, the months of November and December can be a difficult time of year. Besieged by short days, cold temperatures, snow, and holiday commitments, it’s sometimes difficult to stick with an exercise plan and avoid significant weight gain. I’m 51 years old with three children and a business to run, so I’m no stranger to the difficult winter/family/holiday balancing act. Here are a few tips I use to stay fit and trim until the holiday havoc blows over.

Training:

1. Short is better than skipped: When forces conspire to reduce your training time to a fraction of what you planned, it’s tempting to just throw in the towel and skip it altogether. Many athletes think that if they can’t run 45 minutes or they can’t ride for an hour, it’s not worth starting at all. But consistency is crucial when it comes to retaining fitness; the total workload of your shortened workout might not be as high as it could have been, but the workload required to prevent the loss of fitness is far lower than that needed to improve fitness. Yes, this may mean a bit of “treading water”, but then again, the alternative is sinking. Consistency is also important because it maintains your established routine of exercising regularly. Missing a workout here or there is easy to come back from, but missing workouts can also be habit-forming.
2. Be a fit traveler: When you’re packing to visit the in-laws or go away on a family vacation, make room for some training gear. It doesn’t need to be a lot of space; just enough for some running shoes and the clothes that go with them. If you’re a cyclist there’s more gear involved, but remember that Frontier Airlines no longer charges extra fees to fly with your bike. And since I frequently travel to cities I’m not familiar with, I’ve learned to rely on route-finding apps from Map My Fitness to tap into local knowledge about the best places to ride/run/hike/etc.
3. Walk faster: Fitness is relative and there are plenty of people who do not exercise regularly. One thing you can do to help yourself through the holiday season, however, is to simply walk faster. If you go from sauntering along at 2mph to a brisk walk of 4mph, you’ll also burn about twice as many calories  — whether you’re walking for 15 minutes or an hour. What’s more important than the caloric difference is the fact that walking faster puts a greater stress on your cardiovascular system; the kind of stress that makes you stronger and provides you with greater endurance.

Nutrition:

1. Step away from the buffet: If you’re bored and surrounded by food, chances are pretty high you’re going to eat, whether you’re hungry or not. So at parties, grab yourself a small plate of food or a few snacks and then find a great conversation across the room to get involved in. Stay engaged and in an area where food isn’t within arm’s reach, and you’ll have a great time at the party and leave without feeling like you need to unbutton your pants.
2. Think raw, roasted, or baked:  Holiday recipes can do some awful things to perfectly good vegetables. When you’re scanning the dinner table, buffet line, or hors d’oeuvre trays, raw fruits and vegetables like those in holiday salads are great choices. When it comes to cooked selections, roasted or baked vegetables are often made with just a bit of oil and spices, which makes them a better choice than recipes that involve a lot of fat from cream, butter, or cheese. Sweet potatoes are a perfect example. I was recently at a party where a salad similar to the one below was served, and it was great! I couldn’t find the exact recipe for the disk at the party, but I found the one below on (don’t laugh) Martha Stewart’s website. Hey, for all I know, that’s where the party’s host found it as well!

Sweet Potato and Ginger Salad

(Source: www.marthastewart.com)

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a nonstick rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, coarse salt, and ground pepper; roast until fork-tender, about 35 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together fresh orange juice, oil, minced fresh ginger, and Dijon mustard.
3. Add scallions and potatoes; toss to coat with dressing. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.

How do you stick with your fitness and healthy-eating routine this time of year?

—Chris Carmichael, Elite Cycling Coach

Chris Carmichael is CEO and Head Coach of Carmichael Training Systems, the premier destination for coaching, training camps, and performance testing since 2000; and Official Coaching and Camps Partner of Ironman. Follow Chris on Twitter at www.twitter.com/trainright, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/carmichaeltrainingsystems, or www.trainright.com.