The holiday season is all about spending time with family and friends - and that typically entails lots of sitting around, eating, and drinking. Everybody deserves to enjoy those festivities after a stressful 2021, but too much sedentary time and overindulging could lead to the dreaded holiday weight gain. Below are a few ways to stay active during the holiday season and finish off the year better than you started it.
Seasonal Activities with Family and Friends
While it is tempting to curl up on the couch with a warm beverage and watch your favorite show as the snow falls, you may find equal pleasure in partaking in a fun winter activity like ice skating or sledding. Call up a few friends and organize a date to go ice skating, or grab a couple of sleds and hit up a neighborhood park with your kids. Even an activity as simple as building a snowman or making snow angels in your front yard can get you moving and amplify your holiday spirit!
Find a Streaming Workout You Love
Whether it's holiday gatherings and other commitments, it can be challenging to find time for the gym between Thanksgiving and the New Year. Luckily, the pandemic has brought rise to hundreds of amazing virtual workout platforms that you can do from the comfort of your home. Countless workouts do not require equipment or a long-term membership. Try 20 or 30 minutes of yoga, Pilates, dance, or HIIT online to break a sweat and feel refreshed.
Go Shopping
In today’s digital world, you can complete all of your holiday shopping with just the lift of a finger. As convenient as that may be, it’s not doing your body or your bank account any favors. Take a trip over to your nearest mall or a favorite local business and do some of your holiday shopping there. Of course, you can still purchase gifts online, but adding a little bit of in-person retail therapy to the mix gets you up on your feet in a fun and stress-free way.
Turn Your Chores Into a Mini Workout
With the holidays come extra chores like putting up Christmas lights, scrubbing more dishes after family dinners, and wrapping presents. Gamify these tasks by turning them into mini workouts. While doing dishes, perhaps you do a squat for every plate you put away and five jumping jacks for every bowl. The possibilities are endless! No matter what you decide on, every little bit of movement is beneficial.
Shovel Your Driveway or Sidewalk
On the topic of chores, there is one that doesn’t need any additions to be considered a workout – shoveling! If you live somewhere snowy, as soon as there is a white blanket on the ground, bundle up and head outside to shovel your driveway and sidewalk rather than hiring someone to do it for you.
'Tis the season to be active!
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Nov