Oh the Holidays I sure do love them! From Oct 1st – Jan 2nd, it’s a whirl wind of pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin everything, Halloween candy, Thanksgiving food comas, Christmas cookies and New Years party apps! Throw in pumpkin patches, fall family pictures, decorating, re-decorating then re-decorating again, and Christmas shopping …trying to find time to stay fit isn’t exactly on the to do list!
So what’s the magical holiday weight loss secret…wait for it…wait for it….DON’T EAT EVERYTHING!
Food is just food. I know it’s delicious and fun to eat all the tasty treats…but treat yourself to feeling good and energized by stepping away from the endless holiday food buffet.
photo credit – http://busymamafitness.com/healthy-living-wellness-weight-loss-challenge/
But wait there’s more….on top of staying in control of what’s going in your mouth…STAY ACTIVE!
It can be hard to stay focused on health with EVERYTHING else going on. So try to incorporate fitness with your holiday activities to get the most bang for your buck!
Here are some great holiday fitness ideas…
1) Join a Holiday Boot Camp – Tons of local gyms offer 6-8 week boot camps right around the holidays to help people stay on track. Call some local gyms and find out what they offer!
2) Family Bike Ride/Hike – Fall is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful times of the year. Make the most of it with a family (or sneak away for some quiet time and go alone) for a hike or a bike right. In the Greater Cincinnati area just about every park has trails. Don’t forget to take your camera and snap a few shots!
3) Sled riding – A favorite of mine! Sled riding can burn tons of calories and it’s always a fun time!
4) Raking leaves – Not only does it help keep your grass healthy but it’s a great workout for your core and there are usually some great pile jumping photo ops.
5) 5K – I know this may seem daunting to some, but challenge yourself and I promise you will feel great! Most cities have family friendly 5ks around the holidays, look one up, sign up, go and have a blast! Make it a family tradition!
Remember the secret to Holiday Weight Loss is simple…
STAY ACTIVE AND DON’T EAT EVERYTHING!
Wishing you all Happy Holidays and a Healthy New Year!
For some more fitness and health tips, come visit me at The Healthy Hen!
Heather blogs at The Healthy Hen, where she writes about being healthy in what we eat, what we do and how we live. She’s Mama Hen to 3 little chicks and wife to the Big Rooster. She’s passionate about being healthy and has a degree in Exercise Science. She believes being healthy is way, WAY, more than just eating salads and being gym rats. It’s about having fun and spending time with those you love, too. Going to the circus with your family can be just as healthy and good for you as running a 5k. Celebrating birthdays and watching your kids laugh is just as healthy for your soul as strength training is for your bones. Be healthy!
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great tips… I;ve had holidays where I ate my weight in puppy chow and felt awful afterwards…. its not worth it!! Emily
I feel ya! I love…LOVE…cookies and Egg Nog…Deadly combination 🙂 All things in moderation!!
Thanks for the great post, Move your body in some way every single day. You don’t have to engage in a formal exercise plan and it doesn’t have to be strenuous to see benefits. Whether it’s dancing with your kids or a walk around the block, you can and should make time to move.
Amen! My post for January is about Dance Parties! haha. It doesn’t take much to feel good, sometimes just moving does the trick!