Holiday Exercise: No Gym Required
Posted on November 29, 2011 by bob in Features
Add heart-pumping twists to your holiday to-do list to get exercise throughout the holiday season, say experts at the U. of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
“It’s important to maintain your fitness as much as possible during the holidays, but don’t worry if you’re too busy to go to the gym,” says Karen Basen-Engquist, Ph.D., professor in the Dept. of Behavioral Science at MD Anderson.
“Many holiday activities offer ways to get the 30 minutes of daily moderate physical activity that your body needs to help fight off many forms of cancer and other diseases,” she says. “You can break up your 30 minutes of daily exercise into three 10-minute or two 15-minute chunks.”
Shopping — Don’t drive around searching for a parking space near the door. Park far from the entrance. Once inside use stairs to get in extra walking.
“For walking to count as exercise, you should be a little out of breath and feel your heart beating a little faster,” Basen-Engquist says. “You should be able to talk in short sentences, but not to sing holiday songs.”
Partying — Cleaning the house before and after your guests let’s you sneak in aerobic activity. Basen-Engquist recommends focusing on activities using large muscle groups, like the legs and back.
This includes vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing, gardening and multiple trips upstairs to put away laundry or decorations.
“The most important thing is to get your heart rate up at a consistent level,” she says. “You should sustain the activity for at least 10 minutes without stopping.”
Traveling — Speed up your heart rate when on the road:
— Airplane, train or bus: Take a brisk walk around the terminal while waiting, avoid moving sidewalks and make your walk to baggage claim a quick one.
— Driving: Take a brisk walk on the bathroom/gas break.
— Hotels, guest rooms: Use hotel gyms, an exercise DVD, or explore the area with a jog, walk or hike.
If you can’t fit exercise into the holidays:
— Use your lunch break to jog or take a brisk walk.
— Take the stairs at work.
— Schedule workouts in advance.
— Enlist a friend or partner to walk with you. Buddying provides motivation and a chance to catch up with friends.
“Remember, it’s hard to start exercising after you’ve gotten out of the habit,” Basen-Engquist says. “By making physical activity part of your holiday plans, you’ll ensure you have the momentum to keep exercising in the New Year.”
Source: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Copyright 2011. Reprinted with permission from Aging in
Stride eNews – subscribe FREE at http://enews.aginginstride.org.
