A note from Spinning®: This blog was published in 2018 and while the holidays look a little different this year and our calendars far less busy, you may still be struggling to carve out time for at-home workouts. If so, these are great tips for a happy and healthy holiday season! Take breaks for yourself, share some (streaming!) physical activity with a friend, and kick off your mornings with a balanced breakfast. 

Learn from Spinning® Master Instructor and Program Ambassador Joao Ferreira on how he maintains his training through the holiday season.

The holiday season can be both a joyful and challenging period, filled with fun activities and all the preparations that go with them. It can be overwhelming and stressful, and you probably lack time to go train in the gym. Here are a few tips that help me stay on track during the holidays, and I hope you find them helpful too!

Take a Break: No matter where you are during the day, take a 20-minute break and go for an energetic walk. It may sound obvious, but we often get wrapped up in what we’re doing and forget to get up and move about. Whether you’re cramming in work before the holiday break or you’re starting to feel the effects of too much family time, you can likely find 20 minutes to spare for yourself.

Walking is a healthy activity, accessible to everyone, low cardio and low impact on your body. Aside from the physical benefits, walking will free up your mind for a moment, releasing any stressors that have built up. Even if bad weather may limit our chances to enjoy the outdoors, getting in a 20-minute walk is always worth it!

Find a Friend: The holidays are a busy time of year and just like you, your friends may be lacking the motivation or time to train. Instead of unwinding and catching up over a glass or wine or pint of beer, share some physical activity with a friend to help create mutual motivation, release holiday tension, do something good for your body, and re-enforce your friendship. I’m sure you’ll both be feeling better once you get that sweat session in!

Start the Day off Right with a Healthy Meal : You likely have an overwhelming schedule this time or year. Between work, holiday parties, family time, and rushing around town to get presents for your loved ones, taking a little time to honor yourself first thing in the morning will help give you good energy throughout the busy days ahead. Here’s one of my favorites:

1. Cut an avocado in half (you can save the other half for tomorrow morning!)
2. Mash a few crumbles of feta cheese into your half avocado with a fork
3. Spread your avocado and feta onto a slice of toasted, whole wheat bread of your choice
4. Cut a few cherry tomatoes in half and top off your toast
5. Salt and pepper to taste (or garnish with basil, oregano, or other favorite spices)
6. Enjoy!

I love to prepare simple and healthy morning meals. You can find more of these on my Instagram: @joaospinmi. Happy holidays!

How do you stay healthy during the holiday season? Share your tips in the comments below or with the Spinning® community on Facebook and Instagram.