The holiday season is upon us! From Thanksgiving through the New Year is when people often put on a few pounds. The holidays pop up, you lose track of your routine between the shopping and parties. Then January rolls around and it’s time to start exercising- but this doesn’t have to be you! By staying on track with your exercise routine and watching your portion of pumpkin pie, you can keep up with your goals! We put together some tips to help you stay in shape this holiday season.
1. Act Like a Kid – Step out of your comfort zone! If there’s snow on the ground, get some cardio in with a little snowball fight with your family. If you’re feeling adventurous, find a local ice skating rink and take your loved ones out for a skate.
2. HIIT Workouts– If you are strapped for time during this holiday season, try a High Intensity Interval Workout. This circuit uses a 2:1 work to recovery ratio, which means you’ll be pushing yourself hard for a full 2 minutes before taking a 1-minute active recovery break. It only takes 10-20 minutes of your day!
3. Set a Goal– Set a specific, tangible goal that you can achieve during the holidays. There’s a huge chunk of time from now until New Years Day. That’s plenty of time to learn correct squat form or do a pushup/ abdominal challenge!
4. Mall Rat– As it gets colder don’t, give up your daily walking routine because of the weather! Local malls are a perfect place to get your steps in and stay on top of your goals.
5. Holiday Runs– Start a new tradition and participate in a Holiday Fun Run/Walk with your family. Get everyone in a healthy groove for the New Year!
6. Plan– Plan Ahead. If you are invited to a holiday party, offer to make or bring a healthy side dish. If you are hosting the party, you have more control over the menu so make wise, choices when planning.
7. Portion Control– Thanksgiving is once a year. With that said, it is okay to have turkey, potatoes, and a slice of pie, as long as you’re watching the portions; moderation is the key this holiday season!
By Sally Leahy