Here’s a Dad joke that rolls around at this time of the year: There are two types of people in the world – those who shout, “Ten! Nine! Eight!…” at a party on Dec 31; and those who whisper “Ten! Eleven! Twelve!…” doing reps at the gym on Jan 1. Hahahah. Stop.
If your social calendar is packed, fit in micro-workouts such as quick runs or light home drills. (SHUTTERSTOCK)
We disagree. Be the person who does both. It’s hard, when December typically packs in a reunion, a wedding, a Secret Santa exchange, another wedding, the office Christmas party, another wedding and a year-end meet-ups. But new fitness regimes keep you locked in more easily than before.
Yoga instructor Vanshika Pandey who has trained Malaika Arora and Sara Ali Khan; and Sahil Chauhan, consultant at Anytime Fitness, offer advice on how to keep at your get-fit goals as cocktails and cake fly past.
Keep your workout gear ready or pre-book an Uber to the gym so you’re compelled to go. (SHUTTERSTOCK)
Zoom in on micro commitments. Even gym trainers know how tough it is to stick to a regimen when one is buried in social commitments. They recommend toning down on the workouts rather than giving up completely. Shorter morning runs, upper-rung weights, or just lighter home workouts every day instead of gym sessions. “If you cannot take out 45 minutes out of 24 hours for your health, especially when it feels harder to do, you are not taking your life seriously,” says Pandey.
When Pandey was training Malaika Arora, she was impressed by the actor’s commitment to working out every day, even in a busy shooting season. It’s the kind of advice she gives every client: Arora at 52, is fitter than women half her age because she doesn’t skip her workouts.
Save a new workout, a new playlist, even a new pair of sneakers for a day you’ll need the motivation. (SHUTTERSTOCK)
Build an exercise menu. Even the gym around the corner can seem too far in the morning if you drank multiple G&Ts the previous night. “Opt for yoga, stretching, skipping, power jogging or weight training at home,” says Pandey. Or save a new workout, a new playlist, even a new pair of sneakers for a day you’ll need the motivation. Pandey also suggests adding meditation and dancing to home workouts. They all count as exercise.
Watch the snacks. “Your body reflects what you eat much more obviously than how much you work out,” says Pandey. Don’t think of it as a substitution game – a salad today to make up for the meatball sub yesterday. Instead, look at your calendar and mark the days there will be feasting for dinner. Plan healthier lunches on those days, and a low-calorie snack that fills you up just before you head out, so you don’t overdo the fried, heavy starters.
Fill up on healthy snacks at home to avoid going overboard on fried stuff at parties. (SHUTTERSTOCK)
Stock up on healthy food at home. So you’re more in control of what you consume in a month full of buffets. Pandey recommends soaking jeera, saunf and ajwain the night before and drinking it the morning after a drinking binge to clear the system. She also finds that soaking raisins overnight makes for a healthier treat when you’re craving a post-meal pastry or cookie.
Stay locked in. “Most people miss their goals because they depend on motivation, and motivation comes and goes,” says Chauhan. At party season, especially, it helps to build external cues to remind you of why staying fit matters. Keep your workout gear in sight or easy to retrieve. Prebook an Uber to the gym so you’re more compelled to go. Unfollow or mute the Insta handles that distract you with cheesy snacks. Train with a friend or family member who’s feeling a similar kind of pressure this time of year.
Reverse engineer your motivation. Chauhan says this works especially well for people who give up on their own goals to honour social commitments. Save all your podcasts or streaming shows only as a post-workout treat. And build a menu of incentives just as you built a workout menu. Skincare samples? Try them after a gym shower. Flirty text to the cutie on Hinge? Save it for after the jog. Polite “As per my last email” to the colleague who deserves a scolding? Oh, savour it for a full gym session before you hit send.
From HT Brunch, December 13, 2025
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