If the holiday season typically wears you out or causes you to gain a few pounds, you’re not alone. But there are things you can do before the season starts to reduce the holiday blahs and get on a healthier path without launching into a difficult, time-consuming exercise routine.
Some of your everyday activities can be modified to help you stay active, fight fatigue, and just feel better without going to the gym. Personal trainer Jordan Ng has some tips on incorporating healthy habits into your everyday life.
Move more. Studies show that moving more throughout the day, specifically targeting 10,000 steps per day, impacts weight management more than exercise alone. Find ways to add steps to your day — take a 10-minute break to walk, stand up, or walk up and down the stairs.
Eat and chew slower. The hunger hormone, ghrelin, slowly decreases about 15 minutes after you begin eating. Eating slowly allows your body to feel more satisfied and helps prevent overeating. Also, do your best to chew your food at least 30 times before swallowing. This helps with digestion and helps you to eat slower.
Slowly add healthy habits to your routine. While the thought of starting an exercise routine may be a turn off, adding regular activities to your daily or weekly routine can give you some of the same benefits:
- Schedule a 10-minute walk three days a week.
- Once a week, do a five-minute stretch as you get out of bed. Gradually add days to your weekly routine until you’re stretching every day.
- When you’re watching TV, do five squats during every commercial break.
The key is to start small and focus on the little victories. Build these doable habits into your lifestyle to feel healthier during the holidays and stay motivated all year long.
