More Jingle and Less Jiggle

The Holidays are upon us and it seems that the motivation to exercise can fall away like leaves on a tree. How quickly we blame the busyness of the holidays to why we can’t make it to the gym.  Let’s keep the bag full of excuses that you pull out every holiday in the closet where they belong. It’s time to create a new tradition.

Please answer these questions honestly.

•  Does exercise feel like an expectation or obligation?
• Do you feel guilty when you don’t work out?
• Does the guilt of not working out then affect your eating and drinking choices later?
• Does one missed workout turn into days, weeks and then the entire holiday season of no workouts?

What are your top excuses for not working out?

Excuses (no matter what they are) give us permission to not do something while removing the guilt. As long as it someone or something else’s fault for why we can’t work out, it relinquishes us from taking responsibility for our own life and results. Wow! Looking at excuses in this light, makes us realize that we give up our power every time we use excuses. So instead of making excuses, let’s make choices.

We have a choice on how we spend our time and what exercise looks like during the holidays. If we choose to fill our schedule and not plan for a workout, that was our choice and we need to own it. Period.  If you are committed to working out and realize you CHOOSE whether or not that happens, you will fit exercise into your day.

This small shift in how you approach exercise through the holidays can make ALL the difference in the world. Remember, EVERY excuse is power given away and every CHOICE is power regained!

Here are some great ways to fit exercise in during the holidays if you are willing to have exercise look differently.

·        Buy a pedometer.  Walking 10,000 steps is one of The Five Healthy Edge Daily Goals and it absolutely counts as a workout. If you are shopping and running errands, make choices to create opportunities for you to walk!  Having this physical device provides accountability and ensures you hit your goal!

·        Workout Videos. If you struggle making it to the gym but you like to be told what to do, workout videos are great. I LOVE workout videos. Ask yourself, do you like to dance? Do you like to use weights? Do you like yoga? Choose the genre of exercise you most enjoy and choose workout videos that incorporate what you like to do. You can also get workouts with varying lengths so you can choose the workout depending on the time you have available.

·        Workout at Work. For those of you that spend time in an office all day, you can incorporate short breaks throughout your day to squeeze in mini workouts. Here are some of my favorites:

o   Wall-Sits. When you are talking on the phone or reading, put your back against the wall and slide down into a seated position. Hold that position and feel the burn!

o   Squats or Lunges. Our business partner Brandon, did this when we was a high school wrestler.  Every time he went to the refrigerator or bathroom, he would do 20 squats and then do lunges to travel to where he wanted to go. Choose something you do often throughout your day and create a workout around it!

o   Push-ups. Once every hour, drop and do 20 – 50 push-ups. You can do push-ups against the wall, on your knees or good ole athlete style.

o   Stairs. Every opportunity to take the stairs is an opportunity to get a great leg, buttocks and cardio workout. I purposely run up and down our stairs 3-5 times after sitting for long periods of time. Track how many “sets” you do each day and set goals to increase.

o   Lunch Break. If you work a traditional job, you probably enjoy a 30 – 60 minute lunch break. If you choose to walk for ½ of your lunch break, how amazing would you feel? Who else could you enroll to walk with you? If it’s too cold outside, find a flight of stairs and go for it!

o   Yoga. If you are familiar with some basic yoga poses, this is great to do at the beginning of your work day, during lunch and at the end your work day. Five minutes and 2-3 poses is all that is required.

·        Join a Class. If you lack self-motivation and need accountability, join a workout class. Choose a time that is convenient such as immediately after work or during your lunch break so it is built into your schedule and driving route. This only needs to be 1-3 times a week. Everything matters!

·        Make it a Family Affair. How can you get your family involved? Do the kids have a Wii that has games such as Just Dance, Exerbeat or NFL Training Camp that makes moving fun?  Does your family enjoy skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing or sledding? These are all considered exercise!

If you are willing to look at exercise as part of your day and you are not committed to what it looks like then these tips can work for you. The result will be less jiggle in your middle and a renewed sense of confidence.

The Healthy Edge is hosting a 31 Days of "Fit"mas challenge throughout the month of December!!  Try it FREE for 7 Days Here!