THE MARKETPLACE (blog)

Exercise Tips During the Holiday Season

The period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day is often characterized by merriment, stress and weight gain. Take time to plan your strategy for exercising during the holidays so you don’t get completely derailed from your efforts. Exercising may help reduce your holiday stress and keep your weight in check when surrounded by lots of holiday treats. Fortunately, with just a bit of creativity, you can find ways to stay in shape during the holiday season.

Reset Your Exercise Goals

The American Council on Exercise recommends aiming for shorter exercise sessions each day. If you normally work out for an hour each day, scale it back to 20 minutes. Your adjusted holiday exercise goals are more attainable, making them easier to fit into a busy holiday schedule. You may end up working out for your usual hour on most days, but you have less pressure, allowing you to enjoy the holidays.

Squeeze In Fitness With Holiday Chores

• Slouch and your stomach pooches. So straighten up, and you’ve done your abs a favor without breaking a sweat! For better posture while standing, align your ears over your shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over knees, and knees over ankles. Keep the fronts of the shoulders open like a shirt on a hanger, instead of a shirt on a peg. Draw your navel to your spine and keep your weight even on the balls of your feet and your heels.
• Every time you stop at a traffic light (or the bus does), tighten your thighs and butt muscles and release as many times as you can. (Don’t worry, no one will see it!) This will firm leg and buttock muscles, improve blood flow — and keep you mildly amused!
• Parking a distance from the mall entrance and jogging or walking briskly to the doors.
• Walking the mall at a fast pace and using the stairs rather than the elevator or escalator allows you to cross off two items from your list.
• Whenever you’re standing on a line, lift one foot a half-inch off the ground. The extra stress on your opposite foot, ankle, calf and thigh, plus your buttocks, will help firm and tone muscles. Switch feet every few minutes.
• The She Knows Health and Wellness website recommends squeezing in some exercises while cooking your holiday meal. Dancing while you cook, squatting to grab items, lifting weights with canned food and doing push-ups against the countertop are simple exercises you can perform in the kitchen.
• is a great tension reliever. It burns calories, reduces stress and usually means that you’re enjoying yourself.

Organize An Active Gathering

Instead of focusing on food, plan an active holiday gathering for your family or friends. It makes your holiday event stand out as something different than the usual food-centered parties.

• If the conditions are right, you can snowshoe, cross-country ski, ice skate, make a snowman, go sledding, or walk the neighborhood and tour the holiday lights.
• Indoor activities: dancing, bowling, lazer tag, foosball, billiards, interactive games (Wii, Xbox, PS3).

With a little creativity, you can enjoy the holidays and stay active!

Sources: USDA MyPlate, LIVESTRONG, WebMD