We all know that itâs hard enough to exercise and be active during the year, but thereâs something about the festive season that makes it that much harder to remain consistent or even to exercise at all. Even though weâve got a lot more free time during this merry season, for some reason exercise becomes less of a priority.
But the festive season is a time of overindulgence, and staying active is the best way to try and mitigate the extra calories consumed â think braais, family lunches, eating out and binge drinking.
According to one study published in the Journal of Physiology, just 45 minutes of daily physical activity can counteract the effects of what the study refers to as ‘short-term overeating’ and ‘under-activity’ (read: festive season).
READ MORE: 5 Healthy Summer Tips To Keep A Real Wholesome Balance Over The Holidays
âExercise seemed to completely cancel out any of the changes induced by overfeeding and reduced activity,â senior author of the study Prof. Dylan Thompson said in a statement.
Personal trainer and sports massage therapist Mandla Nhleko (@365functionaltraining) says that holiday exercise shouldnât feel like a chore, especially if youâre realistic in the expectations you have for yourself.
âYou donât have to be a gym freak on your downtime,â he says. âAll you have to do is find what will work for you, depending on where youâll be and what youâll be doing, and stick to that.â
Here are some tips and strategies to help you keep moving:
Always have your training gear
Packing for the holidays can be tricky. You want to bring everything with you, but you know you canât because of luggage restrictions, or simply not having enough space in your suitcase. When it’s time to make a decision, your gym gear (especially your training shoes) tend to get thrown in the âIâm leaving you behindâ pile.
âPrioritise your exercise gear when packing â even if it’s just making sure you have your trainers with you,â Nhleko advises. âIf you donât have your trainers, the chances of you even attempting any form of exercise is unlikely and you donât want to put yourself in a position where you donât even have the option.â
Donât overcomplicate things
Just because itâs the holiday season and you know you wonât be as disciplined as you usually are, doesnât mean you must be extremely strict with yourself.
âIf you usually have a vigorous exercise schedule during the year, you donât have to maintain the same standard when on holiday,â he says. âFind a balance that works for you. Trying too hard to be âgoodâ could become a demotivating factor. What matters is staying active, and how you decide to do this is enough.â
The gym is not the be-all and end-all
You might be travelling somewhere where you wonât have access to the gym, but this shouldnât be a deterring factor.
âYou can do bodyweight exercises anywhere â so not having access to an exercise facility should never be used as an excuse,â Nhleko says. âIf youâre unfamiliar with what exercises you can do at home, there are tons of videos online, apps and websites that can help get you started.â
He adds that if you donât want to spend too much time working out, then keep your focus on HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts that you can knock out in 20 to 30 minutes and keep it moving.
You can also find a variety of home-workouts you can do on our website here.
Join community activities
Before leaving for your holiday, or even if youâre staying home, go online and look for any âactive-typeâ activities that are happening in the area youâll be in.
âThis is not only a great way of connecting with new people, but itâs also a fun way of getting some exercise in without feeling like youâre exercising,â Nhleko says.
âLook for fun runs, hiking, rock climbing or any community sports matches you can join.â
This is a great way to get your family active as well.
Keep to some sort of set schedule
Instead of planning to exercise haphazardly or when you feel like it, try to schedule your workouts for the same time every day.
âThereâs a lot of spontaneity in the festive season and you never really know what the next day has in store for you,â he says. âThis is why you should always aim to exercise as early as you can in the morning so you can continue freely with your day, and when anything comes up â youâve already got your workout in.â
Exercising at the same time every day will also help you get into the rhythm of things.
Everything in moderation (but donât starve yourself)
Nhleko says that at the end of the day youâve been working hard throughout the year, so thereâs nothing wrong with letting go a little, having fun and enjoying some hearty meals during this time.
âThe key is really in approaching everything with a moderation mindset,â he says. âYou donât have to skip out on every good meal because of âdisciplineâ â it is the holiday season after all â so itâs good to treat yourself now and again. But just make sure to do it all in moderation. Please indulge, but donât overindulge.â
Travel with a skipping rope
If you feel like you know yourself and exercise will not be on your radar at all, then Nhleko suggests that you just take your skipping rope along.
âTen minutes of skipping a day can do wonders for you,â he says. âif you wonât be doing anything else, just keep your skipping rope close by when you go to bed and let it be the first thing you grab in the morning. Put on some good music, and just skip for 10 minutes.â
Related posts
Subscribe
* You will receive the latest news and updates on your favorite celebrities!
Quick Cook!
Tasty & Easy To Make Desserts With Blueberries
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam laoreet, nunc et accumsan cursus, neque eros sodales lectus, in fermentum…
Review Of Healthy Breakfast Meals For Energy Boost
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Quisque hendrerit fringilla enim, ut scelerisque dui. In hac habitasse platea dictumst….