Holiday season strategies to stay on track (and why waiting for January is a mistake)

Every year, as soon as the calendar flips to December, something strange happens.
People start treating the entire month like it’s a write-off.

“Too many Christmas parties.”
“School wind-ups.”
“Work is nuts.”
“Let’s just start fresh in January.”

And before they know it, they’ve trained twice in four weeks, eaten like an extra in a Christmas movie, slept badly, and arrived in January feeling bloated, sluggish, and annoyed at themselves.

But here’s the truth:

December doesn’t have to be perfect — it just can’t be nothing.

You don’t need to be a monk.
You don’t need to decline every event.
You don’t need to meal-prep broccoli six times a week.

You just need to stay in the game.

Not dominant.
Not elite.
Just… on track.

The real goal of December:

Don’t go backwards.

If you can maintain your training habit through the silly season, even at 60–70% of your normal rhythm, you will roll into January feeling capable, confident and ready to build — not recover.

And that brings me to the second group of people:

the “I’ll start in January” crew.

Let me be super clear here (because I say this with love):

Starting in January is the hardest, slowest, most painful way to begin.

January means:

• The gym is busy

• You’re coming off four weeks of indulgence

• Your energy and sleep are all over the place

• Everything hurts for the first two weeks

• You don’t know the structure, the routines, or the people

• Every session feels like a “Ground Zero” re-start

But if you start in December, even at one or two sessions per week:

• You’ll learn the class structure

• Meet the coaches

• Meet a few regulars

• Get through the “everything hurts” phase

• Build confidence

• Build rhythm

• AND hit January already in “progress mode”, not “beginner mode”

You’ll skip the whole awkward restart phase and begin the year ready, not rebuilding.

A Simple December Solution: The 12 Days of Christmas Challenge

We built the challenge this year for one reason:

To help people stay ON TRACK during the silly season.

Not perfect.
Not strict.
Not extreme.
Just… moving, showing up, and feeling good.

From December 1–24, the challenge is to complete:

✔ 12 Classes

✔ 12 Fun Tasks

✔ 12 Extra Challenges

And here’s the key part:
Most of the FUN and EXTRA tasks take less than two minutes.

Things like:

• Deck the Halls — wear something red or green

• Elf Mode On — high-five five people

• Candy Cane Core — 50 sit-ups

• Reindeer Run — 1500m run or 3000m bike after class

• Mistletoe March — 200m KB carry

They’re simple.
They’re achievable.
They fit around the chaos.

And they keep you training when it’s easiest to skip.

Plus — because humans respond to incentives — if you finish all 36 tasks, you go into the draw to

WIN a $500 summer wardrobe from LSKD.

Fun.
Festive.
Structured.
Achievable.
And it keeps your routine alive through the trickiest month of the year.

Don’t write off December. Don’t wait for January.

Whether you’re already training or thinking of starting, December is not the month to disappear.

In fact, it might be the most important month of the year.

Because if you can build — or maintain — your training rhythm through our most chaotic season,

you walk into 2026 with momentum, clarity, and confidence.

Not starting from scratch.
Not overwhelmed.
Not battling that “beginner soreness” wall.

Just ready to go.

Final Thought

December is not a write-off.
It’s an opportunity.

Show up when it’s hard, not when it’s convenient.

Train when the schedule is messy, not perfect.

Join the challenge, have some fun with it, and keep yourself in the game.

Future-you (the January version) will thank you for it.

And remember - if you want help getting started:

Book a free consult:https://round1fitness.com.au/free-consultation

Stronger fundamentals.
Stronger training.
Stronger future you.