How to Fit Fitness in with Family During the Holidays

Try Winter Sports. We know how tough it can be to get kids outdoors in the winter months to play sports, so why not try winter sports that can only be enjoyed at this time of the year? Ice skating and skiing are both excellent examples of winter sports that you can enjoy. Even if you don’t live somewhere that’s particularly cold, you’ll find indoor ice rinks where you can learn a new skill and have fun as a family on the ice. In fact, ice skating can often burn as many calories as running, but most people don’t even feel like they are exercising since they are having so much fun. It’s the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit as well, and kids will love laughing at their parents as they try to keep upright on the ice.

Create a Holiday Scavenger Hunt. Finding ways to motivate kids and teens to work out can be a huge challenge, so you need to gamify this experience to make it more enjoyable for them. A holiday scavenger hunt is a great way to get your kids outdoors to let off some steam. You can make this as challenging as needed based on the ages of your children. We recommend spreading out the clues so that your kids get a good number of steps in and enjoy an hour or two of fresh air after sitting indoors so much over the holidays.

Sign Up for a Holiday Fun Run. During the holiday season, most cities host annual holiday events including fun runs. A Jingle Bell run or Turkey Trot gives your family a goal to train for over the next few weeks, and then you’ll have a fun experience together on the day of the race. Make sure you sign up as early as you can for these races so that you have time to get into a good routine with your walks or runs. Kids and adults alike will love dressing up for the races as well, and you’ll create new holiday memories while encouraging the whole family to remain active this holiday season.

Plan Workouts in Advance. It’s so easy for the days to blend into each other during the holidays, especially when you are taking time off from work and school. Without your usual structure, you might not even know which day of the week it is, which is why we recommend planning workouts ahead of time. At the start of each week, mark a few days on your calendar when you’ll commit to exercising. Your whole family can be part of this planning process, and you can even choose the activities you’ll do together as a group. You then have a responsibility to hold each other accountable for working out on those days so that there are no excuses for not keeping fit this holiday season.

Exercise Little and Often. It can be so easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you need to have long workouts each day to see results. However, we prefer to train little and often, so you can make exercise part of your routine each day. Even ten minutes of movement a couple of times a day can make a huge difference to your body, and it will help you to feel more energized when you are feeling lazy and lethargic. Set a timer on your phone for ten minutes, put on some music, and you’ll soon feel ready to tackle any of the holiday chores you’ve been putting off.

Family Holiday Walks. For many families, a tradition each holiday season is to head out for a long walk after a big meal. Instead of collapsing in front of the television as soon as you finish eating, try to get some fresh air. You’ll find that this improves your digestion and makes you feel much better about how much you’ve eaten. Try to explore new trails in your local area so that everyone remains interested in going on walks throughout the holidays. If you are walking with young children, add in a game of I-spy or something similar so that they don’t think too much about how far they are walking.

Holiday Dance Parties. A fun way to burn some calories this holiday season is to throw a holiday dance party for your whole family. Blast your favorite holiday and party tunes and dance around your living room until you are exhausted. Dancing is one of the most enjoyable ways of working out, and the music is such a distraction that you’ll forget you are exercising. You can find some great dance workouts on YouTube as well if you prefer following along with an instructor for your holiday dance party.

These are just a few of the easiest ways to remain active during the holiday season. No matter what your plans are this December, make sure you put aside some time to keep active and get outdoors. It’s so easy to spend all day in front of the TV, but you often end up only feeling more exhausted because of this. By getting outdoors and moving more often, you’ll find you have more energy for the activities you love and for socializing with your loved ones. Whatever you choose to do, remember that the holidays are all about balance, so you can still enjoy yourself while keeping fit this holiday season.