During the Christmas period life can get busy. Seeing family, friends and even Christmas shopping can take up a fair bit of time but by all means that doesn’t mean you should cut out movement!
This period can be stressful and that’s why it is the perfect time to move. Exercise and movement in general has the ability to reduce stress and increase feelings of relaxation. It seems like to perfect tool to combat the busy period. Keeping up movement around Christmas is going to keep you feeling great and make it much easier to continue exercising into the New Year! Stopping for a few weeks or even a month will just make it that much harder to start up again. Continuing to move will allow you to keep improving on your health and your overall results.
How do you find the time to move around Christmas?
Are you thinking ‘But I literally have no time over the next month with work and the kids!’ Movement doesn’t have to involve long bouts. It can be simple efforts! There is always time to move throughout the day. Some simple ways include:
- Parking the car a little further away from work
- Taking the stairs instead of the lift
- Going for a walk with family or friends
- Using your lunch break to take a quick walk
- Spending a few minutes every hour walking or completing a bodyweight movement such as squats or push ups
These ideas are simple and make it easy to keep movement levels up during this period. In terms of exercising or getting to the gym there are simple options as well!
- Waking up 30 minutes earlier in your day
- Completing exercise on your lunch break at work
- Setting a time to exercise with family or friends
- Playing a social sport such as indoor soccer or touch footy
These movement and exercise ideas are simple and easy. They will allow you to keep moving during this busy period and help you to feel great. The benefits to keeping up the movement around Christmas are numerous and include:
- Stress relief
- Improved health
- Improved motivation
- Clear mind
- Increased focus
- Improved mood
Finding time to move throughout the day has the ability to allow you to receive all of these benefits and it only takes up a small portion of your day! With this period coming up, a good question to ask yourself is, ‘Does your health take a break over Christmas?’
