4 tips to help you stay on top of your fitness game this holiday season

CALUMET, Mich. – The holidays are a fun, yet hectic time of year for many. Traveling, parties and house guests can throw a wrench in your exercise regimen, but it doesn’t have to.

Aspirus Fitness Center Supervisor Stacy Bussiere, ACE-CPT recommends the following tips to help you stay on top of your fitness game this holiday season:

• Join a challenge. Fitness challenges are popular this time of year. Have some fun and keep yourself committed by joining a challenge that interests you. Check with your workplace or local gym to see what they offer to motivate you to stay physically active, and possibly win some fun prizes!
• Don’t buddy up. The buddy system may not be your best bet this time of year. Schedules are already busy, so trying to align time with a buddy may make it next to impossible. Focus on prioritizing exercise in your day and take any opportunity you can to get it done.
• Be prepared. Use a calendar to mark important events in the upcoming weeks, and then plug your exercise in around those events. Be flexible. If you’re used to exercising after work, but your calendar doesn’t allow you to, be open to getting it done before work on that specific day. Have at-home workouts on hand for days you can’t leave the house. Planning is the key to success.
• It’s not all or nothing. Accept the fact that your exercise time may decrease during the holidays, but this doesn’t mean it has to disappear. Replacing lengthy gym or cross-country ski sessions with a quick, 30-minute walk is better than nothing.

“Remember, the holidays should be a happy time of year, spent with family and friends,” Bussiere said. “Don’t overstress if you have to change your exercise routine. Move when you can. Your body and mind will both be grateful for it.”

Aspirus Fitness Center offers something for all ages and fitness levels, including: flexible memberships, state-of-the-art equipment, fitness classes, and American Council on Exercise (ACE) and American College of Sports Medicine Certified personal trainers. The fitness center is a partner of the national Healthways SilverSneakers and Blue365 programs. These programs provide gym memberships at little or no cost as part of an insurance benefit included in many Medicare and Blue Cross plans. For more information, call 906.337.7000 or visit aspirus.org.

Want more holiday health tips? Tune in to Stacy’s Aspirus Health Talk Podcast on how to stick to your New Year’s Resolutions. https://bit.ly/2BfKsAN