All month long we have been stressing to you the importance of exercising throughout the holiday season. Exercise can help balance out some of the damage you will be doing from additional food you will be eating at parties and holiday dinners as well as taking away some of the stress of the season. It also keeps you on track to start the winter right- a long break from Thanksgiving to the new year is just that- a long break. It’s hard to get motivated again when you take so much time off from exercise.
Do you want this year to be different?
This year, consider working out on Christmas Day. Sometimes you think because it’s a major holiday, you don’t have to work out. You don’t have to, but here are five reasons why you may want to exercise on Christmas Day and how to fit in that workout.
Reason #1: You don’t have to go the gym- you can exercise in your living room.
All it takes is a little bit of space and you can use your body weight as your resistance. Squats, lunges, pushups and planks are all great bodyweight exercises that utilize very little space. You can run your stairs or your use the bottom of the steps as step-ups.
Reason #2: You can make it a fun activity for the whole family.
Get the group together and do a fun workout. You can challenge each other or turn it into a group exercise class! Who can hold a plank longer, how many squats can you each do? Kids and adults can exercise together, it is a great way to encourage fitness and set a great example.
Reason #3: It doesn’t have to be all about squats and lunges.
An activity with your family and friends can include walking around the neighborhood to look at the lights, going for a hike or going ice skating. This is going to be a warm Christmas so outdoor activities are definitely possible during this time.
Reason #4: You don’t have to exercise for a long period of time.
Decreasing the time of the workout and increasing the intensity will get your heart rate up in no time. You don’t have to feel like you need to sneak away for an hour or more. You can get a good workout in well under 30 minutes. Maybe you need to get away- just use exercise as your excuse and take as long as you need!
Reason #5: Schedule the workout and plan what you are doing in advance.
Decide ahead of time when you will be working out to increase the likelihood of fitting in your exercise. Do you hang out after breakfast and just sit around? Don’t have to be anywhere until late afternoon? Chances are you can fit some time in to exercise. Think about what you are going to do, write it down and just do it. You don’t have to waste time planning a routine right before, it will already be planned.
We hope you are convinced that exercise can be done on Christmas Day, without it taking time away from family and friends. Who knows, maybe you will start a new tradition?
Need helping planning your Christmas workout? Check out some of our previous Christmas!
We hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
