Merry Fitness! Make exercise part of your holiday tradition

Although during the holidays it may be unrealistic for you to visit the gym as often as you would like, with a little strategy you can still make time for exercise.

Written By Gayle Pinn

Along with every holiday season comes the usual assortment of challenges: finding the right Christmas tree, scrambling to find the perfect gifts, navigating your way through busy airports and preparing holiday meals and goodies for guests. All of the festive hubbub can disrupt our normal routines, and our fitness regimen is often a casualty. This year, make fitness part of the holiday experience with these easy tips.

Deck the Halls. Combine a little healthy exercise and holiday cheer by hanging indoor and outdoor decorations. Just be sure that when you’re decking the halls you are doing so safely, maintaining good posture while lifting heavy boxes and lifting from your legs rather than your back.

Work For Your Tree. Instead of digging your artificial tree out of the garage or visiting a tree lot, consider taking the family to a local Christmas tree farm and cut your own. Visit pickyourownchristmastree.org to find one near you.

Shop till You Drop (pounds, that is). If your inclination is to knock out your holiday shopping online, take advantage of the time saved by getting some exercise. If you do your best gift hunting in the flesh, you can easily turn your time spent shopping into time spent burning extra calories. Whenever possible, take advantage of local town centers that require you to walk from store to store. Should your search take you to the local mall, park farther away instead of circling endlessly for a parking space 25 feet from the door.

Go a-Caroling. Grab the family and join your neighbors to go caroling around the neighborhood.

See the Lights. Stroll around your neighborhood and enjoy the holiday lights. A simple five-minute walk at a normal pace (about 4 mph) can easily burn 25 calories!

Make Fitness a Family Affair. Instead of family time spent gathered around the TV, suggest a walk around the park, a bike ride, a trip to the ice skating rink or holiday festival. If you have family visiting, ask your gym or fitness center for guest passes and see if your out-of-town relatives will join you for a workout.

Kid Around. If you don’t have small children of your own, there’s a pretty good chance that your holiday reveling will include nieces, nephews or grandchildren. Thirty minutes of romping is proof that you don’t need a gym to get your heart pumping.

Travel Smart. If you’re the one who will be traveling this year, use your layover to walk around and explore the airport terminal. If you’re staying at a hotel, there may be a fitness center or pool on site, so don’t forget to pack a swimsuit and workout clothing. Packing a few resistance bands in your suitcase creates a portable gym for wherever your travels may take you.

Run (or Walk) for a Good Cause. Consider squeezing a holiday race into your plans this month. Your local running club will likely have a list of December races on its website and instructions on how to register.

Be a Cleaning Machine. Did you know that household cleaning burns 170 calories or more an hour? Keep that in mind as you’re preparing the house for guests and cleaning up after their departure.

Gayle Pinn is the owner of Results Personal Training Studio. She’s a certified personal trainer and spinning instructor with 12 years experience in the fitness industry. She specializes in one-on-one personal training for all fitness levels. She can be reached at resultsstudio@gmail.com.