During the busy holiday season, working out is the last thing on many people’s minds. With last minute shopping to do and holiday cards to send, it can be difficult to carve out time to stay fit. Thankfully, there are a few ways you can fit in time for physical activity during this hectic time of year. Here are a few!
Team Up With A Friend or Family Member
Spending time with friends and family is the best part of the holiday season, so why not incorporate exercise into your quality time with them? Instead of meeting for coffee, ask if they would like to go on a walk at a local park or trail. If you want to take it up a notch, head to your local gym and sign up for a group exercise class together.
Classes like cycling, Studio X, and Zumba are great for breaking a sweat and socializing. You’ll be having so much fun chatting and catching up that it won’t feel like you’re working out!
Set (and Stick to) A Schedule
It’s easy to put working out on the back burner when you don’t have to worry about adhering to a set schedule, so this holiday season, make sure you are holding yourself accountable for staying active and healthy.
If you’re someone who enjoys jotting down reminders, purchase a dry erase calendar that you can hang on your refrigerator or another area of your house that you frequently visit. Write down the days and times you plan on going on the gym, and cross it off after you have successfully completed a workout. Having a physical reminder to workout is a great way to hold yourself accountable and actually do it!
Count Your Steps
If you’re just too busy to get in a proper workout, tracking your steps is a great way to make sure you’re still getting some form of physical activity. Most smartphones have some sort of pedometer app, and there are also other ones you can download in the app store.
Wearables like Fitbits are also popular choices for this, as they have multiple functions aside from just tracking your steps. Wearables can help you lead a more healthy lifestyle in general, including helping you eat better, getting enough sleep, and staying active throughout the day. If you don’t want to shell out the money to purchase a wearable, start by using a pedometer app and check your steps at the end of each day to track your progress.
Workout On the Go
If you’re one of the millions of Americans traveling to see friends and family this holiday season, you might be worried that you won’t be able to keep up your workout routine on the road. While it may be difficult to get in a full workout while you’re en route to Christmas dinner, there are ways you can maintain some sort of exercise routine on even the busiest days.
If you’re staying at a hotel, ask the concierge if you’ll have access to the hotel’s fitness center or swimming pool during your stay. If you have a membership to a national chain of gyms, call around and see if you can use the gym closest to where you’ll be staying. Maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle is all about effort and consistency, and as long as you’re making a conscious effort to be active at some point each day, this holiday season will be a breeze!