It’s been said more than once that the time between Christmas and New Year’s is like no other time of the year. Time itself becomes an abstract concept amongst copious food, free flowing drinks, and indulgent relaxation. Most people are barely aware of what day it is in this period as routine is thrown out the window, alongside moderation and concern over the safety of leftovers. From a personal standpoint, I love it.
However, from a professional standpoint, as an Exercise Physiologist I’m here to champion all the benefits of keeping active over the holiday period and how it’ll actually enhance your festivities, not subdue them.
Being full of Christmas cheer can, counterintuitively, be both exhausting and stressful. Pressure to get the perfect Christmas present for your suspiciously wealthy grandma who already has everything, being forced to be polite while your uncle tries to sell you on a new pyramid scheme he’s gotten wrapped up in, or the feeling of obligation to have a 4th serving of ham when you’ve already consumed your own body weight in trifle…
Perhaps I’m projecting too many of my own personal experiences here, but the point remains. The holiday season is frequently stressful, exhausting, and at times, even depressing. The good news is that virtually any kind of exercise will act as a stress reliever. Moderate to vigorous exercise will cause your brain to release feel-good endorphins. Even low intensity exercise over a sustained period will do the same. These healthy neurotransmitters effectively alleviate feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Additionally, exercise creates more mitochondria in your cells which creates more fuel for the muscles. So, despite being tiring, exercise will leave you with more energy than you started with and feeling better about it, ready to make the most of the holidays and start the new year strong.
First the carrot, and now the stick. Another reason to keep active during the holidays is the old adage “use it or lose it”. Improvements in strength and fitness that you’ve fought for throughout the year can be lessened or lost through a process called detraining. This process was studied in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine which found that even a two-week break from exercise led to a notable loss of strength and muscle mass. Afterward, six weeks of retraining improved the participants strength and fitness but did not return them to their previous level of fitness.
Now you shouldn’t expect yourself to hit any new records during this time, but the goal should be to maintain your current levels of activity and intensity to prevent detraining.
Next is an unsung benefit of exercise. A regular workout can reintroduce some schedule to an otherwise chaotic time. Habits are based on repetition and routine; they are also easy to fall out of when interrupted. So why risk breaking your hard-earned habit of exercise by throwing your schedule out the window? While it might seem overrated, some kind of schedule will help you make the most of your time off rather than just letting time escape into the ether while nursing a food baby.
Speaking of food babies, it’s finally time to address the elephant in the room… which may be you depending on how much is eaten. Exercise can dampen the impact of gratuitous gluttony. No, you won’t be able to out exercise a bad diet, but you can reduce its impact and bounce back faster.
So that’s all well and good, we know exercise is good for us, here are some actual suggestions catered for the Christmas holidays.
1. Schedule your workouts early
Try to find time early to get some exercise in. It’s the best start to the day and you won’t be dissuaded by others when you try and work out in the afternoon and your well-meaning Aunt says “Oh, come on! It’s Christmas!”
2. Short on time, try HIIT
If number 1 doesn’t work for you and you’re strapped for time, consider a quick HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout. These can last 5 to 20 minutes and consist of a period of working as hard as you can, followed by a rest, and then repeated. For example, 30 seconds of boxing as hard and as fast as you can, followed by 30 seconds of rest, repeated 10 times. You’ll work up a sweat and be on your way in no time.
3. Get friends and family involved
A great way to help low motivation is to get others involved, and since family hang around like a bad smell during the holidays, use them! Group walks, active games, holding conversations like an Italian, the options are endless. Take advantage of the holidays by taking a walk to see the sunrise or sunset.
4. Sit further away from the food
This tip won’t get you into the Olympics, but distancing yourself from the food, or holding your holiday events outdoors will increase the level of incidental movement you complete and may be just the barrier you need to decide against an extra dessert or mindlessly grazing.
Better yet, have a think about what works best for you or speak with an exercise physiologist. At the end of the day, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope you make the most of this time. While we are closing for a week at Enable Exercise, we will be right back at it in the new year helping you meet and beat all your goals.
Happy Holidays from Enable Exercise!
