5 Ways to Sneak Fitness into your Holidays

london santa run
Let’s face it, working out during the holidays is tough.  You might think it’s impossible.  I say it can be done.  Here are a few ideas to sneak some exercise into your holiday fun.

1. Bundle the family up and take a walk around the block after dinner to look at the Christmas lights. If you live in a snowy area, you could even pull the kids in a sled for an extra calorie burn!

2. Host a family dance-off. Put everyone’s name in a hat and pull out two at a time to see who will face off. Crank up the music and start dancing! Vote to determine who will advance to the next round until a champion is declared.

3. Take the family to the ice-skating rink.  Even if you’re not Nancy Kerigan, you will still burn over 400 calories an hour!

4. Hitting those last-minute sales?  Head to the mall one hour before the stores open to get in a brisk walk.  Mix in some lunges and push-ups for even more of a workout.

5. Squat and Bake: Tighten that tush by adding in squats between each ingredients in your baking recipes.  Add the sugar, do 5 squats.  Beat the egg, do 5 squats.  By the time the goodies come out of the oven, you will have finished one heck of a lower-body workout!

How do you sneak fitness into the hustle and bustle of the holidays?


Flickr Photo “london santa run” by funkypancake

  • Cynthia December 23, 2010 at 1:13 am

    Love the idea of squatting while baking. Genius!

  • Stacy December 6, 2011 at 6:21 pm

    Next weekend we’re heading to Tahoe, if it snows! Snowball fights, sledding, and ice skating are our favorite holiday activities, and until now I never thought of it as exercise! Great ideas 🙂

  • Elle Michele November 20, 2013 at 10:07 am

    I love the squat and bake suggestion! I’m so bad at working out all year long! I do try to park away from the entrance of the store so I have to walk a little bit farther but that’s about all I do to sneak some fitness in. Thanks for the tips.