Blog Post

Whether you've just started a fitness routine; you've been given a fitness plan by your physician; or you're an old pro at it, the busyness of the holiday season can derail your efforts if you're not careful or completely dedicated.  Here are some tips that might help you stay on track. 

1. Consider staying on track as a gift to yourself.  After all,  you have to take care of yourself before you can properly care for those you love. 

2. Set realistic goals, then plan your day around a time to workout.  Think about it very carefully, then carve out 30 minutes each day to fit in some fitness activity, and outside of a life or death emergency, don't let anything change this for you.

3. If you have been frequenting a gym, consider working out at home during the holidays.  This can save you time since you won't have to travel to and from the gym. 

4. Modify your workout during the holidays.  If you're short on time, engage in quick, efficient workouts. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) or circuit training can be effective in a shorter time frame. These can take up only 15 minutes of your time each day.

5. Traveling back home? Stay with or link up with a family member or a friend that is into fitness.  Let them be your accountability partner for the duration of your stay. Tell them it can be their gift to you.  If you stay in a hotel, choose one with  a fitness center....and keep the routine that you've pre-established. 

6. Come up with fun activities that your entire family can do.  Start a new holiday tradition by playing "old skool" games like Mr. Freeze, Red Light green Light, Simon Says, or kick-ball on weekends....get the whole family moving.   Or, come up with a game of your own like changing "hot potato" into a lump of coal to make it holiday friendly.  

7. Join in on physical activities planned in your community like ice skating, sledding, snowball fights, or simply take walks through festively decorated neighborhoods. 

8. Eat a healthy meal prior to going to a party, or even out to dinner. Feeling full will help you eat sparsely during these events. And when you cook your  Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, try to prevent tons of leftovers so that you are not overeating on unhealthy foods for multiple days. 

9. Keep healthy snacks with you at all times to help prevent you from snacking on those delicious cakes, pies, cookies....you name it!

10. Enjoy your holiday season with friends and loved one.  May your celebration be full of love, joy, peace and laughter! 

We hope the above tips can help you during this holiday season and beyond.

As always, consult your PCP prior to engaging in activity that you're not used to, or if you have certain medical conditions that could be exacerbated. 

#exercise #ortho #fitness #arthritis #PCP #Christmas #Thanksgiving #orthopedics #orthopaedics #ortho #arthritis #joint replacement #trauma #fracture #inflammation