Fitting in Exercise During the Holidays

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Originally published on December 5, 2019. Updated on December 12, 2022.

A houseful of relatives or a full schedule of holiday parties! You are so busy!

And you just got on track with your exercise routine.

It could be a problem…

The Christmas season is a time of year when we tend to slack off with our exercise routine. If you’ve been working hard at losing weight or keeping the pounds off that you have already managed to shed, it can be difficult to stick with your long-term commitment to fitness goals. Especially once the cookie tray or hors d’oeuvres platter gets passed around!

Why does this happen? One reason is that during the holidays, we tend to fill our social calendars to the brim. There’s not a lot of hours leftover in our day for self-care. This is a month we are more likely to meet up and catch up with old friends. During the Christmas season, celebrations and merriment abound, and with those come plenty of high-calorie temptations.

We might find ourselves heading over to the local watering hole for happy hour after work or donning our ugliest Christmas sweater with plans for karaoke. Many a dieter has found him or herself struggling not to binge on fried appetizers, or down that third, carbohydrate-laden beer. Don’t forget the eggnog or hot chocolate with luscious whipped cream!

If this revelry is going to be the plan for one full month, then we definitely will want to balance the excess with not less, but more, exercise. How to fit in fitness and exercise during the holidays?

Get In Extra Steps During Your Regular Routine

Did you ever notice how quickly you tend to drop a few pounds when you’re getting ready to move into a new home? With every day spent packing and lifting heavy boxes and making repeated trips up and downstairs, putting a little muscle into cleaning, we’re accomplishing something that eludes many a frustrated dieter who can’t seem to kick the pounds.

This involves long hours of a low-impact, fat-burning exercise routine simply by constantly moving around and using our muscles more than we normally would.

If you find yourself short on gym hours, or coming back from your holiday celebrations a mite bit too late to don those jogging shorts, all is not lost. You can compensate for the lack of aerobic exercise by engaging in a fat-burning, all-day workout by moving around more in general.

How to Get More Exercise in Your Everyday Life

1. Park in a faraway spot.

Most people spend at least several extra minutes circling the grocery store or mall parking lot in search of the closest parking spot. (Guilty!)

But think about it, why do we do this?

If we park farther away and hoof it into the store, we’re doing our bodies a great favor by getting in some extra exercise during the holidays. And we’re even showing generosity to others who may have physical impairments that make the close spot more desirable.

2. Take the stairs.

You’ve probably heard it a million times, but it’s true. Many people recommend simple solutions like walking up a few extra flights of steps because it’s an easy way to get exercise while accomplishing what we need to do. In fact, why not make this a fun social activity? If you’re walking back from office lunch with your crew of coworkers, it might be fun to all take the stairs together.

3. Walk instead of drive.

Do you work or reside in a city? Instead of ubering, taxiing, driving, or taking the bus, consider the added benefit of walking to your destination. Get some comfortable sneakers or another type of fitness footwear, dress appropriately for the weather, and then get out there and hit the pavement at a brisk, calorie-burning pace.

4. Walk and run with your dog.

If the thought of exercising for yourself isn’t enough to keep you motivated during the holiday season, then do it for your dog. Your dog will appreciate it and it’s not really like exercise during the holidays, right?

When you get home from work, skip the snacks and instead pop on your favorite leisure pants. Grab the leash, and head out for a brisk trot or jog around the blog with your favorite furry friend. Just a half-hour of this type of exercise each day should keep you on target with weight loss.

5. Keep your fitness goals realistic.

Do you feel intimidated by those people on Facebook who are marathoning and running 5Ks left and right? Setting health goals that also help others is great, but not everyone has the time for this, especially around the holidays.

If the hard-core runners on Facebook have you scrolling and snacking instead of exercising, it’s time to lower the bar. Remember we can’t let allow social media to make us feel like we are less! Aim for a mile a day at a minimum when doing your exercise during the holidays. Don’t forget to add some floor stretches at home for added benefit.

These suggestions allow you to keep exercising even though you have limited time. Just find ways to get moving!

Loving Life — The Reboot!

Dominique

This article provides general information and discussion about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this article, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.