Fitness for the Holidays
Thoughts of the holidays invoke visions of relaxing family time, tables filled with good food and drink, and quiet evenings by the fireside. Unfortunately for most of us, this tranquil image is far from reality. The holidays tend to be some of the busiest days of the year and between shopping, cooking, and traveling there is little time for anything else. This often means exercise gets thrown to the wayside. But don’t let the craziness of the holidays be an excuse to shirk on your fitness routine.
One of the best ways to fit fitness into the holidays is to take full advantage of the numerous errands you will undoubtedly be running. To start with, park as far from the entrance to the mall or store as possible. Before you start shopping, walk around the perimeter of the mall once or twice. Those extra steps might not seem like much, but they will add up and you can enjoy a little window shopping at the same time. Another great way to take advantage of those shopping outings is to carry your own bags back to the car. It can be tempting to dump everything in a cart, but carrying bags can be a great way to tone your arms, especially if you sneak in a few bicep curls.
Because the holidays truly are supposed to be about spending time with the family, get your entire family involved in being active. Go out for a family walk or bike ride if the weather is nice enough. One of my favorite activities is to go for a walk at night with the family to take in the neighbors’ Christmas lights and decorations. This way you can get in that quality family time and squeeze in some fitness activity at the same time.
Having relatives over for the holidays tends to push us into cleaning overdrive. Though this may seem like a mundane task, try turning it into a mini workout. Play some holiday music to dance around to as you clean. You might be surprised at the sweat you can work up if you clean with a vengeance.
Do you have any favorite holiday activities that allow you to stay fit through the holidays? We’d love to hear them!
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