Tips on Staying Active This Holiday Season
Staying active is a major part of our physical and mental health. Exercise has been proven to boost self-esteem as well as improving concentration and aiding in sleep. As for physical health, staying active helps prevent a myriad of diseases. It is advised to find ways to keep yourself active this holiday season. While being active doesn’t have to mean spending a monthly fee on gym memberships, or waking up early to go out for a run at the crack of dawn, it simply means find alternate ways to get your body up and moving.
One word of advice if you are trying to stay active during the holidays is to avoid shopping online. It may seem convenient if you are limited on time, but most weight gain during the holiday season comes from all the food around and inactivity. Instead of sitting in front of a computer screen, go to the mall and shop walking to each store fulfills the cardio aspect of your workout. If you found items to buy, you now have to carry the items around the store which now adds an element of strength training to your daily activity. If you want to go the extra mile with your exercise, make trips to and from your car so that you don’t have to carry around all the bags to each store. Although you are staying active and getting your holiday exercise, pushing yourself too far or putting yourself in a situation where your muscles are going to give out will cause unwanted problems.
Another recommendation is to clean your house. Start the holidays in a clean and fresh home. There is nothing wrong with rearranging and sometimes change is good. Take advantage of the holiday cleaning by being very thorough. Those few trips up and down the stairs and pushing around the vacuum is said to burn about 240 calories. If you are cooking dinner for the family, be sure to use that time as your exercise activity. Grocery shopping has the same effect as going to the mall as those ingredients that reach the house keep them together. Going back and forth when they are needed will get your cardio going. Remember to have bottles of water handy and do quick curls while you wait for the food to cook.
Lastly, keep your yard clean. Leaves are still falling and snow is going to start falling soon. Raking or shoveling snow may be a good way to stay active and you will most definitely expect some sore muscles in the morning. Be careful, though, as about 42 million people seek emergency room treatment for yard related injuries each year. Try not to push harder then your body is telling you as repetitive movements can cause muscle strain.
Did you know that you have Direct Access to Physical Therapy? No referral is needed. We offer the best Physical Therapy on Long Island where you can get help from our trusted and expert Physical Therapists. To start your Physical Therapy evaluation, call Park Physical Therapy at (516) 798-3789 today!
