The holiday season comes with great cheer, but it also comes with sweet treats and busy travel schedules and there may be times where you have to step back from your normal workout routine. Do not be discouraged; by following these eight helpful tips, you can stay motivated even with a busy holiday schedule!
Move as many body parts as possible
Stick to the biggest bang for your buck. Exercises that move multiple body groups will boost your metabolism. At least 20 minutes of exercise 3 times a week is better than skipping a workout all together. Some exercises include jumping jacks, lunges, squats, push-ups, and sit-ups.
Circuit Training/Interval Training
This type of exercise routine is great if you are in a time crunch. It is simply a workout based around a set number of “stations” that you repeat over a defined time period. You can set up as many or as few stations as you like. This is a great way to build strength and endurance plus it can be fun and challenging.
Choose exercises you don’t usually do
Challenge your body in a way that it’s not used to. Your body will have to work harder as it adjusts to the new activity, which will burn more calories in less time. You can also change your routine by trying a new class! We offer a wide array of classes for all levels at The Granite YMCA. A new class can strengthen muscle groups you haven’t been working lately.
How to time holiday workouts
Exercise before the holiday meal. Exercise early in the day. There’s a special satisfaction that many people derive from completing the morning work-out for a healthy start to your day. With planning ahead and fitting in exercise, you’ll be lessening the impact-and maybe your waistline-from the foods you’ll enjoy later. If you feel like you are too busy to fit in regular exercise, try combining it with some of your daily activities. Simple tips like choosing stairs over the elevator or parking a little further away from the mall when shopping, can have a favorable impact.
Don’t skip out on meals
In anticipation for that big holiday meal, many of us will not eat throughout the day. That’s a bad idea. A better idea is to have a pre-party meal of lean protein. You will feel more satisfied and less likely to indulge in those foods that will add notches to your belt. In a study published in the Medical Journal Metabolism, researchers found that skipping meals during the day and eating one large meal in the evening resulted in potentially risky metabolic changes.
Participate in challenges to stay motivated
We all like a challenge. Taking one can increase your chances of staying in a healthy routine by participating in gym challenges, group challenges, or 30-day online challenges. Challenges will give you a goal to work towards and will encourage you to stay on track and meet that goal, plus it might engender healthy competition among friends or co-workers.
The bounty of the holiday season can represent possible pitfall for even the most dedicated among us and there may be times when it becomes difficult to fit in a workout. The good news is that by following a few simple hints, anyone can maintain some semblance of their routine through the holidays.
Happy holidays!
Troy Laprise is the Healthy Living Director at The Granite YMCA – a longtime advocate for health and wellness, he holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nutritional Sciences from the University of New Hampshire. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from the NSCA, certified TRX instructor, and instructor trainer for LIVESTRONG at the YMCA national initiative. He can be reached at 603-232-8656 or via email at tlaprise@graniteymca.org.