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We all know that the holidays are a time to slack off and let loose, but they are also not a time to overdo it.
You want to enjoy yourself and spend time with family and friends without sacrificing your health or fitness goals. Here's how you can maintain your workout routine while still having fun during the holiday season:
Low-Impact Exercises
Here's a look at six such exercises:
#1 Pilates
Pilates is a low-impact exercise that can improve posture, flexibility, and strength. This exercise targets the core muscles — the muscles in the abdomen, back, and lower body that stabilize the spine. Pilates can help build core strength, which is important for overall health. It can also help improve balance, which is necessary for preventing falls as you get older.
Pilates also improves flexibility by stretching the muscles while they're being used during exercise. The more flexible a muscle is, the less likely it will be injured during movement or activity. Regular stretching exercises can help prevent muscle soreness after strenuous workouts or activities like sports or household chores (such as vacuuming).
#2 Swimming
The best part about swimming is that you can do it all year round. It's also one of the easiest ways to get a workout in, so it's perfect for anyone who doesn't have time for a more intense workout routine.
Swimming helps keep the body flexible and strong, which means you're more likely to avoid injuries on dry land. Moreover, as swimming works out the entire body at once (as opposed to weight training or running, which focuses on specific muscle groups), it can be just as effective as other workouts in burning calories and fat while giving an aerobic boost.
Finally, as swimming requires hardly any equipment or preparation time (other than maybe some goggles), this low impact exercise is easy enough for anyone who wants to get in shape but isn't sure where to start.
#3 Indoor cycling
Indoor cycling is a great low impact exercise that can be done in a group setting or solo. It's also easy on the joints and burns calories fast. Indoor cycling can help improve cardiovascular health, increase strength, and improve flexibility.
In addition to being low impact, indoor cycling offers other benefits that make it an ideal holiday workout option. It can be done almost anywhere — in the basement or garage on rainy days, at your local gym, or even in the comfort of your own home.
It's a full body workout that targets all major muscle groups in just one hour. That includes the glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, chest/shoulders/triceps, and core abdominal muscles.
#4 Zumba
Zumba is a dance fitness programme that combines dance and aerobic elements. A Zumba class involves a series of dance routines performed mostly to energetic Latin American, African, and Merengue music. The routines are easy to follow and can be enjoyed by people of all ages, whether they have been doing Zumba for years or are trying it for the first time.
Zumba is a great way to get fit and have fun at the same time. When you're having fun, the mind doesn't think about how hard you're working out so you don't feel like giving up when it gets tough. Moreover, dancing with others helps you stay motivated because if everyone else is still going strong, then why shouldn't you?
You can take group classes at local community centers or gyms throughout the US. However, if there aren't any nearby, just buy some DVDs or digital downloads online, and do them at home instead.
#5 Water aerobics
Water aerobics is a low impact exercise that's easy on the joints, making it ideal for people with chronic pain or injuries.
The water also provides extra support, which means you can work out longer before getting tired or sore. Water aerobics is a great holiday workout, as it can be done indoors or outdoors, in any body of water (including natural ones).
You don't need any special equipment for water aerobics: all you need is yourself and a pair of goggles!.The only downside to this type of exercise? It tends to make you hungry afterward.
The next time you visit your local pool or beach during the holidays, try adding some new moves into your routine — you will have fun while staying fit and healthy too.
#6 Yoga
Yoga is a great way to keep fit this holiday season. It's also a great way to relax and unwind, build strength and flexibility, improve breathing, and reduce stress.
Yogis have known for centuries that yoga can help you stay healthy by relieving tension in muscles that are used heavily. As we get older, muscle mass decreases, so practicing yoga regularly helps maintain muscle tone and strength.
The regular practice of certain yoga postures has been shown to increase flexibility while reducing the risk of injury associated with high-impact activities such as running or playing sports.
Yoga may even be useful in reducing joint pain caused by an overuse injury sustained while participating in other physical activities, such as walking up stairs.
Takeaway
With all the festivities going on this holiday season, it can be difficult to find time for exercise. However, there are many low-impact exercises that you can do at home or at the gym that are easy on the body and will still keep you fit.
So if you're looking for something fun over the holidays but don't want to spend too much time working out, the aforementioned great choices should keep you busy.
