Ah, the holidays are great for spending time with family, wearing ugly sweaters, and shoving enough shrimp cocktail, turkey, ham, cheese, fruitcake, cookies, Australian wagyu beef and more into our pie holes to make Homer Simpson blush. It’s the holidays! We can eat as much as we want! ‘Tis the season for eating guilt-free. Or is it?
I wouldn’t dare suggest that you or I should maybe put that 6th cookie back on the plate but maybe, just maybe, these 5 creative holiday workouts can help us to sneak in a few extra ways to burn off some of the excess calories we will be ingesting over this holiday season.
TOP FIVE CREATIVE HOLIDAY WORKOUTS
#1 The Sneaky “Family Time” Workout
The only thing worse than refusing a second helping of Grandma’s cornbread pudding is refusing a second helping of Grandma’s cornbread pudding and then telling everyone that you are “off to workout”. The dirty looks that you will get from your not so dedicated family members that are still busy shoveling in seconds and thirds can be amusing but a difficulty that you should avoid if at all possible. Rather than ditching the family to go workout, instead suggest a game of football, soccer, or basketball with the whole family. Be sure to give any family member not up for some “good ‘ol fashioned family time outdoors” your best look of disappointment.
#2 The “Challenge” Workout
Choosing a goal of some kind that requires physical activity to accomplish is a great way to not only have some fun working out but also to give yourself some added motivation. Choose a fitness challenge and then see where you stack up!
#3 The “I Want to Look Like Them” Workout
If you are a guy that was dragged by your significant other to watch the newest Twilight movie (or maybe you wanted to go but hey, whatever – we aren’t judging you here… really…) then you can at least appreciate the hard work that went into leading boy/man Taylor Lautner’s gaining an extra 30 pounds of muscle for his role.
While your motivation to have otherworldly 6 pack abs like Mr Lautner is riding high, start following the Taylor Lautner workout routine. If it doesn’t interfere with your runs to the store for more hot chocolate to dunk your cookies into that is. Of course.
As an added benefit, Mr Lautner’s diet plan is actually perfect for the holidays. He comments, “[I was] doubling the amount of calorie intake I had before, which was just really tough, eating every two hours,” he explained. “It was the hardest part for sure.” Oh yeah!! “Honey, bring out the third round of dessert. Hurry, it’s almost been 2 hours!”…
#4 The “Punish Yourself” Workout
Sometimes you just need to really pay some penance for your holiday eating habits. When you have been naughty rather than nice at the holiday dinner table then you need a workout like the 300 workout or the Navy Seal workout to atone for your calorie misdeeds.
#5 The “Video Game” Workout
OK, we are really scraping the bottom of the barrel here but for those of us lazy, ahem, I mean “ultra-relaxed” folks who just can’t get out from in front of a TV screen for more than a few minutes then this is the workout for you. Break out the Wii or the Kinect and just start moving around. Seriously, your family is worried about your health. Just get off the couch, grab the controller, and start moving your body parts around. No really, we are talking to you. Wait, how did you just bowl a strike without even getting up from the recliner… Oh well…
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Updated for 2016 and beyond.
I like challenge workouts! It’s fun to try and beat each other and your own records too. I used to like video game workouts but I don’t play games anymore so I never bought a wii. What I’m doing now is taking Bollywood dance classes which I recently wrote about on my site. It’s so much fun and doesn’t feel like “working” out which I love! ps- great pic! Woah that guy is huge!
I’ve been working out at home for a while. I used to have a membership with my old job and they provided me with a break on my insurance premium. I’m no longer with that job but want to keep up with my fitness and it can be done at home. I use Tony Horton’s P90X and it’s an amazing workout that leads to results.
I am afraid I will eat like Taylor and not exercise like him! :)
Lol, k. No food for you then!
Great ideas! My fiancee and I are on a no-sugar, no carb diet. Meat and veggies! We will be cheating on Christmas eve/day, but we’re limiting ourselves. Our goal is to be ripped by our honeymoon.
No sugar is KEY! Seriously, sugar is killer número UNO!
The best sneaky workout is never sitting down except to eat. That may be unnecessary if the food is served is buffet style. We are visiting friends Christmas Eve and I plan on filling up on shrimp! It stops me from eating the candy, cookies and cakes. You have to pick and choose what you eat or over eat. :)
I like to get up and go for a walk after the big Christmas meals. Sure it’s not even close to my usual workouts, but a brisk 30 minute walk is still something to offset the calories (for me the weight gain is almost inevitable because of how much I love food, I just try to limit it as much as possible, and then running 5 days a week after the holidays). The cool air also helps negate the sleepy feeling that accompanies turkey!
Love the family football game ideas. I’d like to recommend the spending time with your kid workout. I play with the baby and get some exercises in, like the flying baby routine that lets me to some reverse crunches. It’s fun and I lost a few pounds doing that in a couple of weeks.
Excellent ideas all! Get moving with the kids at the age appropriate level is always good- as long as they are willing, of course. I would also like to add (along w/ the challenge idea, and the P90X theme) my personal favorite: FitDeck. Available online, w/ like 30+ versions including Junior through Senior. Inexpensive and they make a great gift.
“We can eat as much as we want! ‘Tis the season for eating guilt-free. Or is it?”
… I’d feel guilty if I put anything that was formerly a moving animal spirit that had flesh on it, into my spiritual body.
Sister, you have not lived until you’ve eaten a big bowl of Venison chilli, or a few Sloppy Does. I can feel the spirit of the wild moving through my spiritual body as I type this words. Where’s my Ted Nugent playlist…
*** these *** not this!
I have. Although, maybe the bowl wasn’t that big ;) .
Anyways, I shouldn’t have said anything in the first place.
Not really my place to be bringing up anyways!
I do wish that people stay happy however that is.
What I do over the holidays is bring a pair of workout clothes to my families houses and fit in a short workout while I am there. If that isn’t an option than I encourage something everyone can do, like a cross country skii or a walk. Great ideas Sam.