Workout Tips For the Holiday Season

With the holidays upon us, it can be easy to get off track and put your own health and fitness on the back burner. Family will be coming into town, friends will be planning to get together, and life will feel busier than ever. However, with a few easy tips you can keep your fitness routine in check and continue to stay active throughout the holiday season. 

1. Sign Up For A Holiday Workout

No matter what type of workout you enjoy, you can likely find a holiday workout class or event to fit what you are looking for. This can also be a great way to try something new. Take the time to ask friends or family and do research to find what holiday workouts or events are happening in your area. Many times there will be 5k or 10k runs that you can absolutely walk as well. 

2. Plan Your Workouts

The holidays can get busy and it is easy to not prioritize your workouts and health, but by adding your workouts to your calendar you are committing to the workout just like any other plans that you have. Not only is planning your workouts a great way to prioritize your health and fitness, but it is also a great way to alleviate some of the holiday stress that can come up. You do not have to schedule an hour or two daily, but give yourself at least 30 minutes to do some sort of movement and keep your body active and healthy. 

3. Get Creative

When you are traveling for the holidays, it might be harder to find a gym or workout class so you may be forced to get creative with your workouts. If you are traveling somewhere with nice weather, you can get outside for your workout. Whether you go for a walk, a run, hike, or even help with outdoor yard work, you can still be active. There are plenty of free online workouts that you can access from a phone or computer with minimal to no equipment. Even if you do not have time to fit in an actual workout, you might be able to spend time outside playing with the kids or throwing the ball and running around with your dog. These might not be your typical workouts, but it is a great way to be creative with getting some movement in. 

4. Find A Workout Buddy

It can be hard to stay motivated during the holiday season when life is extremely busy and you have commitments several times per week. One of the best ways to continue to workout and stay in your routine is to find a workout buddy. Whether you take your best friend, sibling, or spouse, you will feel much more motivated when you have someone else with you to workout. They will be able to hold you accountable and you can use this as time to catch up with someone you may not see as often as you like while making the time to keep up with your fitness routine.  

5. Use Any Time You Have

Although you may be used to working for an hour or more per day, during the holidays your time may be limited. The most important thing is that you get some form of physical activity in. You may find that some days you only have a few minutes to squeeze in a quick workout whether that is a walk outdoors or a workout at home. Try using a rowing machine to maximize your time and get a full body workout in as little as 20 minutes. 

6. Enjoy The Holidays

It is important during the holidays to give yourself a break and understand that your routine will probably not be as perfect as it may normally be. This is the time to not focus on “all or nothing” and just focus on doing your best. The most important thing to keep in mind is that this is the time of year to enjoy every moment that you can with loved ones and not worry too much about keeping up the perfect routine. 

Looking For More Fitness Tips

With these tips in mind, you will be able to continue to keep your body active throughout the holiday season while still enjoying yourself. You might have to give up your normal workouts from time to time, but it will help you get out of your comfort zone and find new ways to stay active throughout the season. Looking for more fitness tips? Read the XTERRA Fitness blog for more.