Family obligations, holiday meals, parties and more can take us away from our workout routines. Holiday activities can leave us feeling drained, and we’ll come up with many excuses to skip exercising. Working out can help us cope with the holidays by relieving stress, giving us energy and burning those extra calories! Why not find a good balance between indulging and exercising? Here are five ways to keep you motivated to exercise throughout the holidays:

• Make it quick – Working out doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. A 30-minute or less workout is sometimes all we have time for in a day. Always remember that a quick workout is better than no workout. If you need an idea, look back on our Workplace Wellness @Home workout videos for yoga routines and quick workouts!
• Indulge in alone time – Consider exercising as your “me” time. The holidays can be hectic, filled with family and friends, but reserving a little time to exercise can help you refocus and escape from having to worry about anyone but yourself.
• Relieve stress – For some of us, our mental health can really decline over the holidays. According to Mayo Clinic, exercising can boost your mood by releasing feel-good endorphins and distracting you from your daily worries.
• Fight excuses – Working out during the holidays is hard, but with everything going on, you deserve to feel good. Gaining an accountability partner is a great way to fight excuses because if you tell someone you’re going to work out, you are more likely to do it. Also, try planning your workouts a day in advance and putting on your workout clothes as soon as you wake up so you’re already prepared to workout.
• Remember your “why” – Do you work out because it makes you feel less stressed? More powerful? Stronger? Whatever the reason, try to remember how exercising makes you feel after it’s over and the results you’ve worked for thus far.

Exercising can be as simple as taking a walk or as strenuous as going to the gym for an hour; either of these methods is a great option. Exercising should be a stress reliever, not a stress creator, so don’t think too hard about it. Do what feels right for that day. Also, skipping a workout won’t make or break your fitness progress. Don’t feel guilty or stressed if you decide to eat the cookie and take a nap rather than a workout for a couple of days. In fact, you should plan to do that over the next couple of weeks!

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