Staying Active over Holiday Break Doesn’t have to be a Chore

Story by Allison Streich
Feature Image via @londonladybase

With the holidays quickly approaching, it’s easy to slip away from your daily workouts and get caught up in all the preparations that need to get done.

Yeah, you say you’ll get back into routine after 2017 hits – it’ll be your New Year’s Resolution. But why give up now that you’ve come so far? You’ve been so good 10 or 12 months of the year, why put that on pause because all of a sudden you’re “too busy”?

Actually, staying active and getting your minimum of 30 minutes of exercise in each day during winter break is easier than it sounds! Even with your hectic holiday schedule, you should make it a priority to get your daily exercise in – in a fun, festive way of course!

Holiday Shopping
We all know this needs to be done no matter how much we procrastinate. Spending a day shopping for gifts with friends and family and being on your feet is definitely one way of getting necessary exercise.

The constant walking from store to store will make sure your steps are adding up, and fast. Keep your smart phone health app handy or wear your Fitbit while shopping. Once you’re done, you’ll be surprised by how many miles you’ve covered during your shopping spree!

Visit Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo
Fun, festive and exciting! Get a group of buddies together and take a little trip to Metro Detroit. Walk through the zoo and get in the Christmas spirit by experiencing all the lights, sights and holiday entertainment (like watching ice sculpture creations).

This event is one you can’t miss. It’ll get you out of “Grinch mode” for sure. Share some laughs and good times with your friends while again, collecting those daily steps.

Sledding with Family
Let’s be real CMU, who doesn’t still love sledding?! When your little cousin visits for winter break and asks you if you want to take them sledding, it’s nearly impossible to hide your excitement because you’ve been looking for an excuse to go all winter long. It’s okay, we’ve all been there.

On the plus side, once you sled down the hill, you have to climb back to the top again. There you go, you’re getting exercise while still having a fantastic time. If you want to challenge yourself even more, go ahead and pull the sled back up the hill with little kids sitting in it. Or, maybe not, we understand.

Fun Runs and Walks/5K Races
Get some family members together and sign up. With the encouragement from each other, the race will be over before you know it. It’s good bonding time with your family and friends, especially if you don’t get to see them often. Plus, you’re burning tons of calories, so that means two pieces of pumpkin pie for dessert, right?

Health during the Holidays
It’s not impossible to stay active during the holidays. Some events that you take part in are really fun traditions with your family and you don’t even realize that you’re actually getting exercise in!

It’s okay to slack a little bit from your gym membership or not going to the SAC everyday like usual, though. The holiday season is meant for spending time with your loved ones and letting loose a little anyways.

But, that minimum of 30 minutes of exercise daily is essential, even with breaks from school. So try your hardest to take part in fun outdoor activities with your family instead of staying snuggled up in a blanket by the fire and Christmas tree all break long.

Stay active, stay healthy, stay fired up, Chippewas! Happy Holidays!