Buzz
The holiday period often brings stress, particularly when traveling, hosting, or handling Christmas shopping. While finding time to exercise seems impossible, skipping workouts might leave you feeling even more overwhelmed.
We’ve previously highlighted how exercising, even during vacations, can boost mental health. Staying active helps maintain your routine, reduces anxiety, and keeps you feeling agile and energized, especially when days are spent mostly sedentary.
During hectic times, it’s challenging to evaluate workouts as usual. You might not log as many minutes, steps, or complete your typical gym routine. However, a clever solution, mentioned in this Washington Post article about abandoning fitness trackers, offers a way forward. (Side note: I strongly advocate for ditching your fitness tracker.)
The key is to abandon the all-or-nothing mentality, where you either excel in your workout or feel like you shouldn’t have bothered. Plan ahead by defining what “good,” “better,” and “best” workouts look like for the day, and choose the one that fits your situation.
For instance, I haven’t been motivated to spend a full hour on the exercise bike recently, but I ensure I do at least a short session. For me, 30 minutes of light pedaling is “good,” 45 minutes is “better,” and my “best” is a full hour with a proper warmup, intense intervals, and a cool-down.
This three-tier system can be tailored to any activity, time frame, or intensity level. Your “good” might be a few sets of barbell squats at the gym, while “better” and “best” could include additional exercises or cardio. Alternatively, “good” could be a walk, “better” a quick YouTube workout, and “best” simply making it to the gym. The choice is yours to define.
