The holidays are a time to kick back, enjoy time with family and friends, and indulge in good food, good drinks, and all-around good cheer. But taking too wide of a detour from your fitness regimen could wreak havoc on more than just your gains—it can do a number on your motivation and confidence as well.

Overeating, studies have shown, can lead to a decrease in your drive to workout and only cause you to want to eat more. Imagine that your body is a building: you’ve spent months, sometimes years, making sure you have a safe structure only to undo it all with one swing of a wrecking ball, otherwise known as holiday parties.

We’re all for cheat days (in fact, they’re essential), and we’re all for loosening the restrictions when the holidays roll around, but there are ways to indulge responsibly. Before you get trapped in the mindset of “cave in now, pay later,” and have to spend the New Year making up for a month and a half of Thanksgiving get-togethers and holiday beer binges, follow these tips to playing hard while keeping your gains intact.

Man performing pushup in gym

The 10-minute holiday workout

Torch fat and improve your cardio—wherever you are.

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