Holiday Fitness Tips

Ok, Ok, I know it's the holidays and the last thing you want to think about, or be lectured on, is the general unhealthiness of the holiday season. I mean with all the sweets and delicious food made available, it's not unreasonable to be tempted, and even a little reckless from Thanksgiving up until the new year. There are a few quick and simple steps you can take throughout December, and even into Janurary in order to enjoy all the goodies the holidays have to offer, guilt free (or as close to guilt free as you can get).

One of the key, and probably the most basic aspects of preventing weight gain is burning calories. Now the ideal amount of calories to burn is the amount taken in, but I think it's safe to say that this is close to impossible during the Christmas season. Any effort to burn calories puts you one step closer to preventing that 5 or 10 pound weight gain that's around the corner in January. For instance, bundle the family up and take a nice winter walk a couple times a week. Winter is a beautiful season with crisp air, so take advantage. Go caroling and spread the Christmas cheer around the neighborhood (ok this might be stretching it, but you get the idea!).

Now I'm sure all of the Mid westerners and North easterners are laughing at my suggestion of taking a walk during winter, especially with the recent weather conditions. But come on, you get the best part of winter, snow! Once the weather clears go outside and have some fun. Run around with the kids, pull them in their sleigh, go sledding for Pete's sake! Not only is sledding one of the funnest activities in the snow, walking up that legendary hill a couple times after your thrilling decent is sure to burn some calories. Ice skating is another fun and healthy winter activity. As I mentioned, the key to holiday fitness is just staying active and not allowing those filling dinners and delicious treats to soak into your body.

For those of you who just cringe at even the idea of stepping outside during winter, no worries, there are plenty of effective exercises that can be done indoors. Interval training is the best example and it's perfect for the holidays because it only takes up about 20 minutes of your day, three times a week. Interval training is so effective because it utilizes exercises that burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. Exercises such as aerobics, e.g. jumping jacks, knee lifts, etc., jump rope, and kickboxing are great examples. Also, if you have a treadmill, bike, or stairmaster, these machines are terrific for interval training. There are a great deal of interval training methods, so find the one that works best for your schedule and lifestyle.

So there you have it. Just a few things to keep in mind during the holidays if you want to save your New Year's resolution for something new this year. I sincerely wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!