Did you know that sixty percent of weight gain for the entire year occurs during the last 6 weeks of the year? Most adults in the United States are not physically active on a regular basis, and only 30% get the recommended amount of physical activity. Around the holidays, time always seems to speed up with so many things to do before the year ends, leaving no time to exercise for most people. Here are some ways you can stay on track and have some fun with your exercise routine throughout the holidays.
Find a Holiday Race to Join
Knowing you need to be physically prepared may be the motivational tool you need in terms of keeping you consistent with your workouts. Realizing that all your training will also benefit others may also improve your chances of sticking with it. You can bring your family and friends to participate in Houston’s 12K of Christmas where you might run into jolly old Saint Nick himself and his elves!
Find or Create the Perfect Holiday Workout Playlist
It’s hard not to love Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” – it’s also a great song to workout to. Are you a Spotify user? Try this playlist during your next workout. Is iTunes your jam? They have a holiday classics remix playlist that’s perfect for a holiday workout!
Get a Workout Partner
Some people find that working out with a partner helps motivate them and keep them consistent in terms of getting to the gym or hitting the pavement. Knowing that someone is waiting for you can motivate you on the days you don’t feel like getting out of bed to exercise. Find someone with a similar schedule and set a jogging date at Hermann Park, where you can run the Marvin Taylor Exercise Trail under a lovely tree canopy and take a break by the Friendship Pavilion to practice some deep breathing by the fountain-studded reflecting pool.
Set Some Holiday Related Goals
Rather than dragging yourself to the gym each day to shed those extra holiday pounds, set a fitness goal for the holiday season. Try writing down what you want to accomplish before the New Year or in a certain amount of time. Choose a goal such as losing 5 pounds, increasing your strength, or improving your time in a mile run. Don’t make exercise a penance for those holiday cookies you ate. Make it a personal goal unrelated to holiday revelry. Your goals need to be flexible and in line with your capabilities, needs, values, and available resources. They should be challenging, but also realistic. Measure the baseline of where you are now and decide where you would like to be on a certain date next year.
Have fun this holiday season and add some cheer to your regular workout routine. Mixing it up will keep your routine fun, fresh, and will be something you’ll look forward to every day. If you need some help with an injury you’ve been meaning fix, finish the year strong and have one of our physical therapists help guide you to your North Pole!
https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44206
