It’s that time of year again: Things will get hectic, and we’ll start thinking about everything we need to do for the holidays while forgetting to focus on ourselves. As women, many of us likely feel responsible for coordinating everything during the holidays—cooking and shopping and scheduling everything. And during a pandemic, taking care of our holiday traditions has become 20 times harder.
Often times exercise is one of the first things to be sacrificed when the holidays take over, which is especially problematic because exercise can be what keeps us feeling our best, even in stressful times. If you’re not feeling your best, you can’t give your best to your loved ones. Plus, getting behind now only leads to frustration when New Year’s rolls around. Instead of falling back on your fitness, now is a great time to get ahead of the game.
So this year, before things get too hectic, make a plan to incorporate fitness into your holiday activities.
Take Spontaneous Walks
It’s so easy, and it can make a major difference. You don’t need to do it in the morning or wait until the end of the day; when you feel yourself start to tense, just step outside and put one foot in front of the other. Breaking your midday chores with a quick walk interrupts the cumulative buildup of stress. Your eyes will find different things to focus on, relieving muscular fatigue, and you’ll get a much-needed boost of endorphins. Many a bad mood will dissolve in a 10-minute stroll.
Schedule Strategic Workouts
Especially this time of year, you need to carve out time when you can commit to being wonderfully sweaty and carefree about it. Right now, before your other holiday activities start to encroach on your time, pick three days every week, from now through Christmas, when you can devote at least 30 minutes to a good, hard workout—whether it’s a regular group class or a special, one-on-one session with a personal trainer. Put those workouts in your schedule now and they won’t get lost in the rush.
Added bonus: That personal trainer is both your biggest supporter and the person who holds you accountable when you need them the most.
Look Local
Understandably, big box gyms are not ideal settings this year. But as the holidays approach, they’re going to be busier than ever, which probably doesn’t appeal to you. As a local, boutique gym, we know everyone who comes through our doors, we have coordinated schedules to control who’s here and when, and we’re able to offer you a controlled, sanitized environment so you can concentrate on achieving your fitness goals.
Practice Self-Forgiveness
Ultimately, you have to acknowledge that this is a busy time of year, and this year especially is going to be weird and hard. If you miss a workout day, or your training doesn’t go as well as you hoped, there’s absolutely no need to worry. Getting down on yourself only gets in the way of your workout, and we think exercise should be a joyous celebration of you.
Plus, we’ll be here for you in 2021, too.
