Dashing through the department store trying to find those last minute gifts you realise you need to run by the market on the way home or you’ll have nothing for dinner…again. Sound familiar? Achieving the work/family balance is tricky at best and during the holidays it becomes close to impossible.

You know the drill, it happens every year: you run around buying gifts, planning parties, attending celebrations, eating, drinking, not exercising, then cursing yourself at New Year’s when you can’t even fit into your fat pants, let alone that sexy New Year’s Eve outfit you bought last spring.

Let’s face it; taking the time to actually exercise is often our last priority during the party- celebration-eating extravaganza that is the holiday season. But it shouldn’t be. Exercising is critical: for your health, for your energy level and your sanity. In fact, one of the best things you can do to make the holidays go smoother and your celebrations happier is to take the time to include exercise.


Studies have shown the minimum daily requirement of exercise to prevent weight gain, heart disease and improve overall health is 30 minutes most days of the week. That’s not so bad. You don’t have to run 10 miles a day or become a gym rat attending every step aerobics class offered to reap the benefits. You just need to sneak it in whenever possible.

You can put a 30-minute block on your calendar each day and literally schedule yourself an exercise appointment. Or if the thought of making exercise so formalized turns you off and the idea of scheduling something else in your day puts you over the edge you can always incorporate 30 minutes of exercise in subtle ways. For example:

Get up 30 minutes earlier - Yes, I know it’s easier said than done, and while you may curse at your alarm clock when it first goes off, you’ll be so much happier after your workout. You’ll have more energy and a better attitude than if you had slept in. Plus, no matter how stressful or full your day becomes, you’ve already completed your exercise and that’s one less thing to check off your to do list.

Park far away from the door - You’ve probably already heard this suggestion before and just ignored it, because, really what good would a few extra steps do? Not much if you only do it once, but try it for a week, for every place you go and it will add up! If you don’t believe me you can purchase a pedometer and see for yourself. (Studies have shown that 10,000 steps a day is an ideal goal for weight loss.)

Don’t consolidate trips up/downstairs - Instead of grabbing the laundry, the mail and the groceries all in one trip, take several. Sure it may take a few extra minutes, but every trip up/down the stairs is another opportunity for your heart to get pumping.

Pace while on the phone - A phone call is the perfect opportunity to get some cardio in: walk as you talk. After a few minutes you won’t even hear the irritating hold music.

Buy a jump rope - For less than £10 you can own an amazing piece of exercise equipment. A jump rope is easy to use (it may take a few tries to get back into the swing of it), portable, a huge calorie burner and lots of fun. If you get bored jumping by yourself, go find a small child and have jump rope contests; they’ll love you for it.

Get a Personal Trainer - Buy yourself a few sessions with a personal trainer. It is the holidays after all, and you deserve a gift too! Scheduling time with a personal trainer is an ideal way to ensure you get some exercise, as you will be less likely to skip a workout when you’ve paid for it.

Get a dog - If all else fails and you can’t get motivated to get moving for yourself a dog is the perfect motivator. A dog always needs a walk, every day. They don’t care what you look like while you’re walking them, they will always be in the mood for a walk and be grateful for the activity.

The trick is to be conscious of your actions. As you move through your day, think of all the subtle ways you can include exercise: get up and deliver a message instead of using email or while watching TV use every commercial as an opportunity to do some abdominal crunches or push ups. True, none of these are huge calorie burners or are going to get your heart rate up to training level, but they are great ways to eke out some exercise during the holidays. And who knows, maybe that New Year’s Eve outfit will actually fit this year.

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