The holidays are busy for most people. Traveling, getting the house ready for guests, parties, decorating, cleaning, etc. They can be a stressful time for some, making it hard to focus on health and wellness or continue with a normal fitness routine. While we tend to eat a lot of sweets and a lot of food in general during the holiday season, our physical and mental health plummet when we put our health on the back burner. So how do we maintain our health and wellness during the holidays?

In this article, I am going to recommend a few ways to continue to stay active and healthy during the holidays. 

Make your fitness and health a priority

If you know that you have plans from 8 in the morning until 8 at night, get up 30 minutes earlier to go on a walk, to do some stretching, or do some light weight/lifting routine in the house. If you make the time for it, there will be no excuses come the end of the day, and most of the time – you feel better afterwards! 

Include your family and friends

Ask your friends and family to do a bodyweight workout in the back yard or the garage – you don’t need any fancy equipment! Set a timer for 20-30 minutes and move your body. Again – you will feel better after this and probably have a few laughs when including others in on the fun! 

Stay hydrated

While sweet treats and holiday drinks are all yummy, make sure you continue to stay hydrated while enjoying these once-a-year treats! If you drink a soda, don’t have another sweet until you’ve had a glass of water. If you have a piece of pie – make sure to drink water instead of a sugary drink while you are eating. With all the delicious food and drinks – it can be easy to forget to drink water and become dehydrated. Keep your water bottle nearby to sip on periodically. 

Enjoy foods and desserts in moderation

Don’t overindulge each time you attend a holiday party or event. Eat things in moderation and you will feel much better afterwards. Don’t skip out on your favorite foods, just enjoy them in moderation. 

Take a walk

After you eat a big breakfast, lunch or dinner – take a 10 minute walk. This can help to lower your blood sugar levels after a big meal and help you to burn off some of the calories you just took in! It will also get your blood flowing and get you moving during this busy season! 

Summary

These are just recommendations that have worked for me to stay active and healthy during the holidays. Take what is helpful and remember that your health continues to be important even when the holiday season is over! Do your best to prioritize your health and wellness throughout both busy and relaxing seasons.

And, if you want help from licensed clinicians to improve your mobility, decreased your pain, book an appointment online or call the office to start your journey to an active, healthy life. You can also check out our affordable digital resources and programs, including our exercise course!

Susannah Azofeifa, PT, DPT was born and raised in Owensboro, Kentucky but now calls North Augusta, SC home. She attended the University of Louisville and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology/Exercise Science in 2017. She then attended Breanu University where she received her doctorate of physical therapy in 2021. Susannah enjoys treating a wide range of orthopedic conditions and also specializes in treating pelvic floor dysfunction, and pre and post partum individuals. She enjoys spending time doing activities such as CrossFit, being outdoors, traveling, being with family, and spending time with her husband, Fabian. She heads up our Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy (PFPT) program here at ProActive.