3 Reasons to Stay Active During the Holidays

That cozy-comfy time of year is finally here. Friends and family gather, eat, and spread cheer. Okay, we didn’t mean for that to rhyme, it just kind of happened, we’re just as excited for the holidays as you are. With all the goodness that they come with: food, togetherness, gifts, and fun, there’s a lot of stress that they come with too. Cooking (which sometimes seems endless), buying gifts for everyone on your list, crowds, financial burdens, travel… it’s a lot to focus on. It’s easy to ignore your fitness goals with so much else to pay attention to. Add in all of the delicious, yet not necessarily healthy, holiday food, and you have a whole month that seems to be derailing you from your goals every chance it gets. To keep you on track, we’ve compiled a short list of reasons to stay active during this time of year.

1. To help minimize or avoid holiday weight gain

It’s the holidays. Obviously calories aren’t the first thing on our minds. We want to eat the good food, hang with the good people, and enjoy the good holiday vibes. But, if we can help avoid gaining those holiday pounds, we will. Staying active will not only help burn off those extra calories, but it will help keep your appetite in check. Not to mention, spending an hour in the gym instead of spending the hour trying to avoid eating holiday treats is a much more efficient use of your time.

2. To help ease the stress of the holidays

We all know that exercise releases feel-good, mood-boosting endorphins. It’s a great way to help ease tension, stress, and anxiety. The stress of the holiday season is a lot more manageable with fitness as an outlet. If you have a busy schedule, even a 15-minute workout session can help get some of those negative vibes out and boost your mood. So, before you head out to deal with the craziness of the shops (or the craziness of a holiday party or dinner), try to get a workout in. Your mind, body, and soul will all thank you.

3. To stay consistent with your fitness goals

If you’re on a consistent workout routine, one of the hardest things to do is get back on the wagon if you’ve fallen off. Staying consistent with your fitness goals by making time to work out during the holidays not only trains your brain to think of working out as a priority, but it also prevents you from losing muscle mass and endurance. If nothing else, keeping up with your fitness routine will prevent you from having to deal with the sluggishness of going back to the gym after a couple weeks or a month off.