Workout tips to stay active during holidays

The holidays are a joyful season that offers countless chances to overindulge in food and neglect exercise. Gaining weight is practically a given during this time of year. However, things don’t have to be that way.

Use these fitness suggestions from The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) for the holidays to help you stay on track and help you regain focus.

Plan Ahead

Make time for your workouts just as you make time for each of your festive gatherings—put it on the calendar. Planning ahead by adding your workouts to your schedule ensures they will fit into your day. Many of the holiday parties and dinners take place in the evening, so set aside time each morning to go for a run, hit the gym, or take part in online fitness classes at home.

Go Small

As your schedule fills with holiday activities, you might not always have time enough time for a full workout, so don’t be afraid to break it up into to smaller chunks. Go for a 20-minute run before work, then stop by the gym for 20 minutes of weights on the way home.

Be Creative

Along with being flexible in your scheduling, get creative with your activities. Even if you’re spending the whole day out shopping or at your family’s house for Christmas, you can still get your body moving.

Take the Stairs

Make elevators and escalators off-limits from the start of the festive season to New Year’s Day. If you’re at the mall and want to add to the challenge, stop at a store on the lower level of the mall, then make your next store on the top level, and then switch again.

Start an Annual Competition

Get your family and friends involved in fun and fitness during your holiday gathering and turn it into an annual event so everyone has a reason to stay accountable for the next year.

Get a Workout Buddy

Even if it’s just for the holiday season, having a workout partner can help you stay motivated and accountable. You’re more likely to get to the gym if you have someone there waiting to workout with you. To step it up, make a bet: if one person skips a workout, they owe the other person an amount of money or they have to wear a Santa hat during the next workout. A little fun can boost everyone’s motivation.

Log your Food and Fitness

Track your nutrition and activity throughout the holidays to stay accountable to healthy goals. It’s easy to fall into the “just one more” trap with cookies and other sweets, but knowing you’ll have to include each of those cookies in your food log might help you resist the temptation.

Hydrate

With the holidays comes a variety of festive drinks—eggnog, peppermint lattes, sugar cookie martinis, and more. These drinks are often overloaded with calories and not the best at keeping your hydrated, so drink them in moderation. Keep your water bottle full and accessible, and be sure to drink plenty of water before any holiday gathering. This not only helps with staying hydrated, but it also helps you feel full so you’re more likely to resist the extra food.

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