Staying Active During the Holiday Season

Do you find it hard to stick to your regular exercise routine when you are on the road during the holiday season? Whether you are visiting family or taking a holiday vacation, it’s easy to let your workouts fall to the bottom of the priority list.

But just because it’s the holiday season doesn’t mean that you should be less consistent with your self-care. In fact, maintaining a regular schedule is essential to stay strong and active – setting you up for success with your New Year’s fitness goals.

Even though you feel like you have limited time for travel, there are ways to fit workouts into the busy holiday season. With a little bit of planning and dedication, you can stay in shape instead of letting the holiday treats go straight to your waistline. Plus, regular exercise this month is essential to help with mental health and stress reduction, making it easier to enjoy the season when spending a lot of time around family.

1. Plan Physical Activities into Your Schedule

You don’t need to stay on the couch and eat holiday treats for the last few weeks of the year. Instead, make memories with family and friends by planning fun fitness activities together. For example, you might coordinate a day for everyone to go skiing or ice skating together. Regardless of the weather outside, there are often indoor skating rinks that offer open skating hours.

There are also ways you can increase your movement when spending time at airports or a hotel. Instead of sitting at your gate to wait for boarding, walk up and down the terminals to get your steps in for the day. If you are driving in the car, schedule regular breaks so you can stretch your legs and move your body.

2. Find Local Fitness Centers

It’s often easier to stick to an exercise routine if you have somewhere to go. Find a local gym where you can pay for a day pass or a week membership. Other options include yoga studios, rec centers, or CrossFit groups.

One simple way to get quick access to fitness equipment is by booking a hotel with an on-site gym. If your hotel doesn’t have fitness facilities, ask if they provide day passes to nearby fitness centers. Even if it costs a little more, it’s worth the investment to have a fitness center you can visit before heading to a holiday brunch with the family.

3. Pack for Your Exercise Routine

Invest in small fitness tools that can be used for exercise anywhere. For example, fitness bands are small and lightweight, making it simple to take them in a suitcase or your carry-on bag. These resistance bands are great for muscle-building without the need to use heavy weights or bulky fitness equipment.

Other good fitness products for travel include:

• Cellphone and headphones to watch online fitness videos
• Yoga mat
• Jump rope
• Swimsuit
• Hand grips

Don’t forget to bring your running shoes and athletic clothing!

4. Focus on Both Diet and Exercise

If you are over-indulging in heavy foods, sweet treats, and alcohol, there is often a bigger temptation to let exercise fall to the backburner. In addition, eating a lot of junk food that is outside of your everyday routine can make it harder to stay consistent with your exercise routine.

How often do you feel sluggish and unmotivated after a big meal or a lot of holiday treats? When you eat a lot of sugar and calories, it can cause a “food coma” – the afternoon nap that seems inevitable after a heavy meal.

Pay attention to how you feel, then adjust your diet to include a variety of fresh and healthy ingredients – with a few holiday treats in moderation.

Notice how much easier it is to stay on track with your exercise routine when you are prioritizing both food and movement. Build the momentum and keep on track with the small and simple habits that energize you through the holiday season and beyond.

Fitness experts say that diet is 80% of the battle if you are trying to lose weight. You can’t exercise enough to make up for the calorie-laden foods that are so common during the holiday season. So, focus on creating a balance between enjoying a few treats while also maintaining a regular exercise routine this season.

5. Find a Fun HIIT Exercise Routine

Staying on track with your exercise routine doesn’t mean you need to torture yourself at the gym while your friends and family celebrate the season. Unfortunately, there is a misconception that you need to be in the gym for hours at a time. But the truth is that High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can be even more effective than running like a hamster on the treadmill.

You don’t want to tie up your busy schedule for long workouts during the holiday season. Instead, look for ways to explore the area you are visiting. You can combine the exercise and have fun at the same time.

HIIT training is great because you can fit in short bursts of exercise, helping you burn a lot of calories in a small window of time. Even when you are done exercising, HIIT boosts your metabolic rate, so you continue burning calories throughout the day. Plus, HIIT workouts build muscle, which increases your overall metabolism going forward.

Need a Fun Holiday Workout Center?

If you want to connect with other like-minded people during the holiday season, then find your fitness motivation at Fitness Nation. Our facilities offer all the equipment and weights you need to maintain an excellent exercise routine this month.

There’s no reason to wait for the New Year before starting your fitness goals! So give yourself a head start you deserve by maintaining your fitness levels throughout the holiday season and into the New Year. Fitness Nation is here to help!