We all know the feeling. It’s those random days between Christmas and New Year, you don’t know what day of the week it is, the kids are watching Frozen for the third time today and you’re surrounded by empty sweet wrappers, how can you find the motivation to get moving?
Okay, so we know that not everyone is super keen on getting the gym gear out during the festive season, but it’s always good to get your body moving again before the post-Christmas return to work. So, if you’re looking for some low maintenance ways to get going, look no further than our 5 easy tips!
Go for a winter walk
You can always start small with a quick 10-minute walk around the block to get back into moving- especially if you’re feeling a little stiff! Over time, you can build up to do longer walks and get those 10,000 steps in.
Walking is a low impact gateway to more strenuous exercise which makes it great for anyone who’s a little nervous about getting started with their own fitness journey. According to the NHS, just 10 minutes of brisk walking a day is enough to contribute towards your recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week (1).
Hit the Sales
What better way to get those steps in that hitting the Boxing Day sales? Pick yourself up from the sofa and get ready to get some bargains and discounts all while getting your body going again! Better still, if you pick up plenty of bargains, you’ll be adding a weight resistance to your arms- perfect for burning off those mince pies and getting your body back in business.
Keep the party going
December is a month of partying, dancing and festive fun, who said it needs to stop after the 25th? Instead of hanging up the dancing shoes, keep the party alive and dance your way through until January.
Regular dancing is a fun way to get fit without becoming a chore. Better yet, it comes with plenty of fitness benefits, including:
- Improved stamina
- Strengthened muscles
- Better posture
- Weight loss
- Beating stress (2)
If you have space in your home, pop on your favourite playlist and have a boogie! Don’t know which moves to make? That’s okay, there are plenty of free classes available on YouTube which are easy to follow and will still get your blood pumping.
If you’re a little limited for space in your home, there are plenty of classes available to join in your local area. Dance Near You is an easy-to-follow database which offers over 1000 different classes across the UK, find yours here.
Start the Festive Clean Up
Believe it or not, but housework actually counts as exercise! Not only is a festive clean up a fab way to get ahead with your chores, but you’re also doing your body a favour too.
Whether you’re cleaning pre-Christmas in time for Santa’s arrival or you’re dealing with the post-Christmas chaos, this is a great way to get your house and body in shape! So, crank up your favourite festive tunes, whip out the hoover and get started.
Intrigued by how your housework can help get you in shape? Check out our blog below to see how you can burn more calories than a 5k run just by giving your house a quick clean:
Use your sofa as a gym
Did you know that you can exercise from the comfort of your own sofa? There are plenty of simple, low impact exercises that work perfectly with the height of a sofa, so you can get your body moving without even needing to leave the house, how great is that?
Want to try them out? Check out our sofa workout routine below:
Warm Up:
Step Ups
- Stand up from the sofa
- Stand on the sofa, leading with your stronger foot
- Carefully step down from the sofa
- Repeat at your own pace for 30 seconds
Core:
Couch bike
- Sit back on the sofa
- Raise your legs to hip height or as near as you can raise them
- Peddle your legs in mid-air as if riding a bike
- Repeat for 30 seconds
Side plank
- Prop yourself up sideways on the sofa using your arm
- Extend your legs out to the side of the sofa so they’re resting on the floor
- Hold your hips up in the position
- Stay for 30 seconds then repeat on the other side
Legs:
Leg stretch and lunge
- Stand up from the sofa
- Put one foot in front of the other and bend your knee
- Prop the other foot on the sofa so it’s at a right angle
- Bend and rise for 15 reps
- Switch to the other leg
Arms:
Couch Dips
- Sit on the edge of the sofa
- Put your legs in front of you, bending them slightly
- Place your arms firmly at your side with your thumbs facing inwards
- Lower yourself off the sofa, as low as you can
- Rise back up
- Repeat for 15 reps
Push Ups
- Stand up at the back of the sofa
- Move back two steps
- Lean forward while keeping your legs stretched and place your hands on the sofa at shoulder width apart
- Press down and rise back up
- Repeat for 15 reps
We’d love to find out more about how you’ll be staying motivated during the Christmas season! Get in touch by tagging us in all your festive fun on our Instagram or Facebook or join the rest of our community in the Facebook Closed Group.
