‘Tis the season for lots of holiday gatherings and preparation for the holiday gatherings. And while the time of fellowship is always enjoyable, the time to prepare for such events takes time away from our usual fitness routines. There are many ways to navigate the busyness of the holiday season while still maintaining your desire to focus on your health and wellness.

One method to combat the busy holiday season is to get your exercise routine done early in the morning. Pearce Community Center opens at 5:00am Monday through Friday and 7:00am on Saturday and Sunday. While it may not be your first choice, you could sneak in your routine before work, leaving you time after work to do the extra tasks needed to prepare for the holidays. Not only will you have more time at the end of the day, but you will start your day feeling energized. If you are someone who enjoys a group led class, Pearce Community Center does also offer an early morning Cycling Class Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30am to help start your day off with a bang.

Modifying the duration of your routine is another way to navigate the hustle and bustle of the holidays. While we may like our routine to look a certain way on a regular basis, sometimes we just don’t have the same amount of time to give to that routine. Breaking that usual routine into a shorter version is the best of both worlds. Not only do you get to maintain the health benefits, but you also get to move on to the extras that are needing to get done. Pearce Community Center does offer some 30-minute classes that will get you in and out of the door quickly. Check out Cardio + Toning on Tuesdays at 8:30am, SilverSneakers Yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:15am, or Cycling Express on Saturdays at 8:15am. If you are not someone who participates in classes but still wants to modify your routine for the holidays, consider splitting up your normal routine over the course of two days rather than one day. With all the activities this time of year, something is going to be better than nothing.

Lastly but certainly not least, if you know you won’t remain consistent with your routine on your own, consider hiring a personal trainer to hold you accountable. Sometimes holding yourself accountable is not enough to get you to the gym. It is very easy to tell yourself, “I will go tomorrow” then next thing you know it is January and the holidays are behind you. But when you know that personal trainer is there waiting for you, you find the will and the way to get yourself to the gym. 

Remember self-care is important to your stress management during the holidays and other busy times of the year. Don’t skip out on yourself. Your January self will be very happy you didn’t!  

For more information about Pearce Community Center, head to our website: pearcecc.com and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pearcecc