The holiday season is a busy and exciting time of year, but it can also be quite stressful. Between shopping, parties, traveling, and visiting family, it’s easy for your regular exercise routine to fall by the wayside. Research has shown that physical activity levels tend to decrease the most after holidays.
That’s why it’s so important to make your health a priority this time of year. Regular exercise can actually help reduce holiday stress and keep you feeling your best.
Here are some of the key benefits of maintaining your fitness routine:
Stress Management
The holidays bring a lot of added demands on your time and energy. Exercise is a proven way to manage stress and improve your mood. When you work out, your body releases endorphins that can lift your spirits and help you better cope with the pressures of the season. Making time to be active, even just a little big each day, can go a long way in keeping you calm and centered.
Immune System Support
Cold and flu season tends to ramp up during the winter months. Staying active can help support your immune system and reduce your risk of getting sick. Keeping up with your workouts makes you less susceptible to holiday illnesses that could derail your plans.
Weight Management
The holidays are full of rich, indulgent foods that can pack on extra pounds if you’re not careful. Regular physical activity helps you maintain a healthy weight by burning calories and boosting your metabolism. It also gives you an outlet for all the extra energy you may have from eating richer foods.
If you’re having trouble sticking to your exercise routine, consider talking to your physical therapist. They can create a customized fitness plan to help you stay on track, even with a busy holiday schedule. Physical therapists can teach you exercises you can do at home and provide tips for fitting activity into your day.
Here are a few quick tips to help you stay active this holiday season:
- Schedule your workouts like any other important appointment and don’t cancel them.
- Find ways to be active with friends and family, like going for a walk after a meal.
- Keep home exercise equipment (like weights or a yoga mat) accessible and ready to use.
- Park further away from stores and buildings to get in extra steps.
Don’t let the hustle and bustle of the holidays derail your health and fitness goals. With a little planning and creativity, you can maintain your exercise routine and enjoy a happier, healthier holiday season.
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Do more than mask the pain, reduce or eliminate it.
Exercise and manual therapy (including soft tissue and joint mobilizations) can help relieve pain, restore mobility and function and help reduce or eliminate pain. Pain is often cyclical and can be minimized or eliminated with musculoskeletal mobility.
Learn how to help treat yourself and become empowered with your care
There really isn’t a magic wand at PT! A Physical Therapist will do more than just address your injury or involved body part. We will look at you as a whole person and empower you with your care, giving you plenty of education and ways you can help yourself.
Become more active!
Learn to care for your body instead of suffer. There are so many studies that show that activity for 30 minutes per day helps to maintain healthy systems, from head to toe. A Physical Therapist promotes total health and wellness and can often be a good motivator to get you on track with your goals!
Prevent surgery
Often times, musculoskeletal injuries can be treated by PT and you can avoid surgery all together. The key is to get to know a PT soon after an injury so your pain and limitations do not become irreversible. Talk with your physician ASAP!
