Staying Active Over the Holidays

As the holiday season arrives, schedules can get full with parties, dinners, shopping, and vacations. Although this is an exciting time of year, it can be time-consuming and sometimes stressful. Sometimes when our calendars get overwhelming, to meet holiday demands, and when the weather turns cooler one of the first things people often reduce is exercise. Since exercise helps to reduce stress and increase energy, slashing a workout routine could promote the opposite during the holidays.

Stress hormones

Exercise induces a stress reducing hormones called endorphins that help you feel great. If November and December bring more stress into your life, consider exercise as a way to balance it out. It could be your outlet for tension relief and ultimately give you more energy to happily and calmly power through the holidays.

Meditation and Yoga

If you do not regularly practice yoga, consider trying it this winter. Not only can it improve heart health, flexibility, and body strength, it can help clear your mind from holiday craziness that sometimes piles up. Meditative type practices contribute to calm the mind to help you become more physically and emotionally aware. Furthermore, hot yoga studios are growing in popularity and a great way to stay cozy as the temperature drops. You can find them all over the city.

Mall Walk

For many, the holiday season means family feasts, parties, and festive drinks. This is another reason being physically active should take priority. Since many people travel near and far, it may seem difficult to continue with your workout routine. However, staying fit does not have to mean regular gym visits or organized sports. There are many ways to incorporate exercise into a holiday schedule. Think of your daily routine…can you take the stairs more? Can you park farther from work and walk to the office? Consider becoming a mall walker!

Get your steps in

When holiday shopping, arrive before the stores open to take a power stroll before your power shop. As the snow falls, consider shoveling as exercise. You can also embrace the cold weather by snowshoeing, outdoor/indoor skating, cross-country or downhill ski. Also, if you are a runner, do not be afraid to run outside. If you are properly prepared and dressed, it is perfectly safe. Another great idea is to get a pedometer to track your steps. You should be aiming to take at least 10,000 steps a day. If you are traveling or staying in a hotel, pack a resistance band for strengthening and a jump rope for cardio. This requires little space in your luggage and can be done in small spaces.

Staying fit this holiday is easier than you think. With some preparation and creativity, you can easily stay energized throughout it all. However you choose to be active, remember to have fun with it!

About the author

Dr. Stacia Kelly is a chiropractor at Ottawa Holistic Wellness Clinic, located in center town Ottawa. The clinic has over 15 different wellness practitioners. They work as a team and consider individuals symptoms to provide a real holistic approach, which enables them to identify and treat the underlying causes of your issues to give deep, long lasting healing.

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