HO-HO-HOLD ON TO YOUR PARTY HATS! CHRISTMAS MAY BE THE TIME TO INDULGE, BUT IT DOESN’T MEAN OUR FITNESS ROUTINES CAN’T WORK AS HARD AS SANTA’S ELVES ON A CHRISTMAS EVE DEADLINE.

Health and Lifestyle Coordinator Josh Kristenson shares his tips to keep fit, festive, and very much ‘sleighing it’ this holiday season.

Deck the Halls…and your walks!

Christmas lights can be the perfect excuse to get outside and go for an evening stroll. Grab your loved ones and head out for a holiday walk (or a ‘Santa Stroll’ if you will!). You’ll burn calories while soaking up all the festive cheer. Most local councils have a list of Christmas lights displays you can enjoy with the grandkids. Who knows, you might just find yourself singing along to a carol or two along the way!

Rock around the Christmas tree

Turn holiday decorating into a mini workout! Tasks like lugging boxes of ornaments and reaching high places to hang tinsel mean you can get your steps in without leaving the house. So put on a good Christmas tune and see how many squats, lunges, or toe touches you can squeeze into your time decorating.

Reindeer ready routine

Tap into the mind of a Dasher or a Prancer! To get your heart racing, you can jog briskly or take a gentle bike ride to offset that extra holiday feast. If it’s too warm to work out outside, just remember you can always get the workout in air-conditioned comfort in the Country Club gym.

Gingerbread flex and stretch

Just as you’re reaching out for another Christmas cookie, don’t forget to add stretching to your Christmas fitness routine to keep those muscles loose. After a big family dinner, try gentle stretches or yoga moves – a “gingerbend” session, if you will – to aid digestion and keep those joints merry and light. This can be followed by another stroll in the cool of the evening.

‘Snow much fun’ group classes

Why not join up to one of those group classes with your friends? A morning jaunt with your mates, water aerobics, or even dance classes – all of these go to prove that workouts can also be fun. Moreover, it’s easier to motivate yourself while sharing the effort with close friends. Who can possibly deny a little holiday groove?