For many of us December is the busiest month of the year. But you can still have fun over the holidays and exercise.
With shopping, planning for trips and social gatherings, it is no wonder that our fitness often takes a back seat. But even the busiest schedule should not mean that you give up working out altogether.
So why should you keep up your exercise over the holidays?
Fitness level
Unlike your bank account, you can’t save up physical fitness e.g. You can’t train for 10 months and stop for 2 months without your fitness going backwards. You can however, keep investing in your fitness by getting in some shorter workouts over the holidays.
Keeping energy levels high
Staying physically active keeps your mood high, leaving you with more vitality to enjoy leisure time with your family and friends.
Wellbeing during and after the holidays
During the holidays, it is easier to get out of our healthy eating routine and our sleep quality may not be as good as normal. Remaining physically active will help you control levels of cortisol (stress hormone) and will help produce serotonin and dopamine (hormones of pleasure and wellbeing), making you feel happier and more able to relax.
Easier to get back to your training routine
The biggest advantage to keeping up exercise over the holidays is that it will be easier to get back into your normal routine. After doing your first workout as part of your usual training programme, you won’t have to suffer a week of avoiding stairs because your legs are a 10 on the exercise pain scale.
So how do I make the most of the gym over the holidays?
If you plan your workouts, book in classes or schedule a regular catch-up with a friend at the gym, then you are less likely to skip a workout. And if you think you will cancel a class, then we can charge you a cancellation fee to deter you…I’m kidding. We all know that if we are consistent with our exercise routine, it unlocks many health benefits and planning your workouts means you can relax, knowing that it’s scheduled to fit into your day/week/month.
Short workouts are perfect during the holiday season
Hours in the gym - who has time for that during the holidays? Unless of course you have nothing planned for the holidays. Why not try a 20 to 30-minute workout to get you moving and increase your heart rate? A short session could be on a treadmill, or one of the weekly workouts on MyHabit App which include a mix of strength and cardio.
At the end of the day, what matters during the holidays is to have fun, rest and recover from your normal routine. A moderate dose of movement and exercise will enhance your holiday and allow you to remain in great shape for the New Year.
Davi Stemler is a Personal Trainer at Habit Health Majestic & Platinum
