Family obligations, traveling and gatherings — all with tempting treats are in no shortage during the festive season. It truly is a season of joy as we indulge ourselves and our loved ones on the little sweet things that spark joy in us. Come New Year, weight takes center stage, and getting fit and in shape becomes another yearly resolution.
The holidays may be the most cheerful time of the year, but it can also be hard on your health and is likely to bring about changes in your physical appearance. This holiday season, take the proactive route with small habit changes and some recreational activities. Here are a few suggestions on how to stay fit during the Holidays.
Get Up and Keep Moving
Your everyday non-exercise activities, such as walking and standing still burn calories. Except when you’re sitting. In fact, sitting limits the number of calories you burn because there is very little energy expenditure in the position.
Make it a frequent habit to get up for 5 minutes every 30 to 60 minutes. Stretch, pace, indulge in recreational activities and hey, you can even do simple squats if you want each break to be hardworking.
Keep a Handy Tumbler Near You
Did you know that when stressed, the brain can sometimes confuse thirst with hunger? Especially if it’s not your usual hour for eating, instead of reaching a snack, have a swig of good ol’ H20 first!
Keep hydrated with 6 to 8 glasses of water per day, and be sure to have 1 to 2 big glasses before a high-calorie feast.
Show Up with a Plan
Going to a Christmas party? Show up with a plan. Do a bit of research on the venue and decide on the best meal options for your weight goals. Or if that’s not an option, mentally track your food intake and activity level. This practice makes you more conscious and mindful of the amount of calories in what you eat. It also allows you to plan on what adjustments to make to stay within your daily caloric goal.
Work Out Your Workouts
Be intentional with daily workouts and make them part of your day. Pros suggest doing workouts in the morning, so that distractions such as parties and holiday get-togethers later in the day wouldn’t be a problem.
No time for the gym? At least 15 minutes of body-weight exercises, kettlebell swings and dumbbell lifts at home should be helpful. Remember that some exercise is better than none.
Have Active Fun with Recreational Activities
Attempting to stay fit during the festive season can also be fun! Couple your shopping with these sample activities.
- Self-Defense at Krav Maga Philippines
Krav Maga Philippines offers programs such as Civilian Krav Maga which is a multi-level course that starts with the basics side and rear attacks, building to dealing with stick attacks and familiarity with defending a third party. - Parkour and more at Ninja Academy
In the same location as Krav Maga Philippines is Ninja Academy. Manila’s first indoor and free-running parkour facility offers a host of interesting classes such as parkour, parkour for kids, calisthenics, dance, martial arts (tricking) and HIIT. Their signature workout THE GAUNTLET is a one-hour combination of HIIT and obstacle course training. - Cardio with the Fam at the Bike Playground
An asphalt pump park with an urban outdoor bike trail that stretches to almost 1km, the Bike Playground is your go-to for cardio on wheels or for learning tricks on BMX. Open from 7AM to 8PM, you can rent specific types of bikes, and learn skills with the help of an instructor.
A venue for the young, creative, active and working crowds, Industria is the hip destination for great options in food, fashion and entertainment.
