For 12 months, the fitness tips I’ve shared ranged from how to start your year on the right track to how to keep up your new routine even as the exuberance of New Year wore off.
We discussed plateau busters through interval training workouts, maintaining momentum through varied exercise components, and injury prevention techniques through mind and body connections.
Well, the year is not over yet, so let’s keep that workout train chugging! Don’t let your health drop down your priority list this year. Put it at the top. Exercise first thing in the morning and get it out of your way.
If this sounds demanding and difficult, don’t panic. It should only take 10 minutes at the minimum if you are in a pinch and up to 30 minutes if you plan for it. Think of it as your emergency holiday workout!
Here are a few easy exercises familiar to every child:
1. Perform jumping jacks for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stay light on the balls of your toes and avoid hard, jolting landings. If you find that your thudding sounds are waking up the neighborhood, shorten your width and bounce more than you jump.
2. Arm circles for 30 seconds to 1 minute. With your arms outstretched, elbows slightly bent, keep your hands lined up in the area between the hips and your chest. This will help keep you from tightening your neck muscles. Rotate your arms in circles going forward and backward.
3. Repeat these two exercises at least twice to get your body moving. Upon each subsequent cycle, you will naturally perform it with more vigor than the last.
4. Chair squat. Once you have worked off any sleepiness and have your circulation going, spend 1 minute standing up and sitting down on a chair. For more of a challenge, ditch the chair and do air exercises.
5. High-knee jog. For 1 minute, jog in place, lifting your knees as high as comfortable.
6. Push-up. A favorite of mine! Perform this exercise for 1 minute if you have the stamina, or split it up into four 15-second sets if you can’t.
Perform this cycle of exercises once (the 10-minute version) or three times (the 30-minute version). Whichever you choose, it will help keep you ready to fend off the holiday calories. Have a happy and healthy holiday!
