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3 Ways to Stay Fit for the Holidays

Stay Fit for the Holidays

The holidays are filled with great friends, awesome memories, and amazing food. But what’s the one thing that is sometimes lacking? Willpower!

With so much delicious food and drink at your fingertips, it’s hard to say no. And with the added Christmas calories you’ll need to incorporate some holiday fitness into your daily routine.

If you live up north, it’s sometimes tough to get out of the house and make it to the gym. But not all workouts need to be done outside the home. If you are in a region where the weather is mild all year long, your exercise options are endless.

Here are three super simple ways to stay fit and healthy even in the face of holiday indulgences.

  1. Get Outside 

Walking

The sun doesn’t need to be shining for you to get outside and get active.

Do you have a walkway, sidewalk, or steps that need shoveling? Shoveling can actually burn upwards of 223 calories every 30 minutes. If you have children at home, there’s no doubt they’ll want to spend some time outside making snowballs, snow angels, and sleigh riding.

Take them to a park or somewhere in the neighborhood that has a large hill. Each time you and your child go downhill, offer to bring the sled back up to the top. Walking uphill is an excellent workout. It not only burns calories but works all the muscles of your lower body. And walking in snow offers an even better burn! It’s similar to the extra work put in by running or walking in sand.

If you are somewhere that’s warm and sunny for the holidays, take your walks or runs to the beach! Walks are an excellent activity all year round, no matter the climate. If you choose to walk on the street, be mindful of your surroundings. The mounds of plowed snow can make it difficult for drivers to see you coming.

  1. Purchase Equipment 

The average gym membership costs between $40 and $50 per month – that equals about $800 per year. Why not take that money and invest in some gym equipment for your home?

A treadmill, step machine, stationary bike, or even a rowing machine make awesome additions to your home gym. Pair these pieces with a workout bench and some free weights. Having equipment right in your home makes exercising easier than ever and eliminates excuses. If you’re worried about the price, don’t be. Global Fitness and other online blogs can offer tips and information on purchasing quality used gym equipment.

If you don’t have the space for large machines in your home, it’s ok. Utilize some items you already have in your home. You can use a chair or step as a workout bench. Have some heavy cans of food in your pantry? These can double as free weights. Walking up and down stairs is another awesome lower body, cardio workout.

There are countless ways to stay fit right inside your home. If you have a party planned where you know you’ll be indulging in decadent food and drink, start your morning with a quick workout. This will make you feel less guilty about your food choices and help you burn a few extra calories.

  1. Create Your Own Routine 

Exercise regularly

With so many workout resources at your fingertips, you can pick and choose individual exercises to create a unique routine all on your own!

Are you looking to burn a lot of calories and work up a good sweat? HIIT training exercises are perfect for this. HIIT or high-intensity interval training is where you go “all out” or as hard as you can for a long period of time, followed by shorter periods of rest or active recovery. The belief is that this type of workout burns more calories by keeping your heart rate up. Some at-home HIIT workouts include fire hydrants, decline push-ups, Russian twists, and wall squats.

If you’re looking to stretch and improve flexibility, then yoga is a perfect choice. Once you master the basic yoga movements, you can advance your efforts and test your balance by experimenting with more challenging positions. A yoga mat is relatively inexpensive and you can find tutorials for yoga poses all over the internet.

Strength training comes in all forms. From basic push-ups and pull-ups to using free weights, it doesn’t take much to create a toning routine that gets results. Some of the most basic and effective moves include dumbbell curls, tricep dips, butterflies, and rows. Just like yoga poses, these common exercises can be found online.

The best way to create a strength training workout is to first determine what areas of your body you want to target most. Are you looking to tone your tummy? Sit-ups, planks, and basic bicycle crunches can help you achieve this. If you want more definition in your arms and back, jumping rope can help, along with dumbbell pullovers, and renegade rows.

Don’t Wait for the New Year 

With 41% of Americans making New Year’s resolutions and only about 8% actually keeping them, why wait till the New Year to get healthy?

These simple exercises can be done in between holiday shopping and snacking. You can help yourself battle those Christmas calories and start the New Year ahead of the game!

Article Submitted By Community Writer

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