Maintain Your Weight + Your Sanity This Season: 20 Holiday Wellness Tips Plus 3 Free Workouts to Get You in the Spirit

Here’s a list of practical fitness, nutrition and wellness tips to help you maintain your weight (and sanity) during the holiday season. Make sure that you scroll down to the bottom for three free and fun holiday workouts that you will want to do on replay too! These workouts will get you in the holiday spirit and can easily be worked into your busy schedule.

Fitness Tips

1. Stay Active Daily

Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, even if it’s just a brisk walk after meals or dancing to holiday music. It keeps your metabolism active and reduces stress.

2. Schedule Workouts

Treat exercise like any other holiday event by putting it on your calendar. Morning workouts can help you stay consistent amidst a busy day.

3. Incorporate Mini Workouts

Short on time? Squeeze in quick 10-to-15-minute bodyweight circuits or stretches between errands or holiday activities.

4. Focus on Strength Training

Resistance training builds muscle and boosts your metabolism, making it easier to burn calories even at rest.

5. Make Fitness Fun

Engage in family-friendly activities like ice skating, sledding, or playing football. It’s exercise disguised as holiday fun!

Wellness Tips

6. Prioritize Sleep

Lack of sleep can increase cravings and lower your ability to make healthy choices. Aim for 7-8 hours nightly.

7. Manage Stress

Practice mindfulness, meditation, or yoga to keep holiday stress in check. High stress can lead to overeating or skipping workouts.

8. Set Realistic Goals

Focus on maintenance, not weight loss. The goal is to stay consistent, not perfect.

9. Hydrate

Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and curb unnecessary snacking.

10. Create Boundaries

Learn to say no to obligations that disrupt your wellness routine. Protect your time for self-care.

Nutrition Tips

11. Mind Portion Sizes

Use smaller plates and bowls, and prioritize portion control when enjoying indulgent holiday foods.

12. Choose Wisely

Fill half your plate with veggies, a quarter with protein, and a quarter with carbs or treats. Balance is key.

13. Eat Before Events

Have a light, protein-rich snack before parties to avoid overindulging on appetizers or desserts.

14. Don’t Skip Meals

Skipping meals to “save calories” often leads to overeating later. Maintain regular, balanced meals.

15. Limit Liquid Calories

Enjoy holiday drinks like eggnog or cocktails in moderation—they’re often calorie-dense. Opt for water, tea, or seltzer as your primary beverages.

16. Slow Down

Savor each bite by eating mindfully. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to recognize fullness.

17. Plan Ahead

If you know you’ll indulge at a big dinner, balance it out with lighter meals earlier in the day.

18. Bring a Healthy Dish

If attending a potluck, bring something nutritious like a veggie platter or fruit salad to ensure you have a healthy option.

19. Keep Treats Out of Sight

Store holiday cookies and sweets in opaque containers, so you’re less tempted by visual cues.

20. Don’t Deprive Yourself

Enjoy your favorite holiday treats in moderation to avoid feelings of deprivation, which can lead to bingeing later.

Holiday Workouts

Are you ready to get moving? We are sharing our three favorite FREE fitness workouts to burn calories this holiday season! These workouts can be done anywhere. You can stream them from your phone or a computer while you are traveling. So, there is no excuse to skip your workout over Christmas!

1. The ‘ELF’ Christmas Workout

This 10-minute workout is fun for the whole family! Glenn Higgins, founder of Get Kids Moving, really created some magic! Led by Buddy the Elf, you’ll get your heart pumping with 30-second interval bursts plus some rest intervals. Please be sure you do a warm-up and stretch after this high-intensity sweat session!

2.  A Very Re-Mixed Christmas

This workout by The Studio by Jamie Kinkeade is just 18-minutes long! It includes cardio and strength trainig with light weights plus a cooldown and stretch so you cover all your bases. And it is so much fun, you won’t even notice the time going by!

3.  1 Hour Christmas Cardio Smash

If you are looking to burn some serious pre-holiday dinner calories, this one is for you! Cardio Party Mashup Fitness brings a festive mix of hip hop songs to this cardio dance workout. It includes kickboxing, squats, burpees, and lots of other good stuff to help you maintain and not gain while you are enjoying your eggnog and cookies!

By staying active, mindful, and intentional about your choices, you can navigate the holiday season with confidence while maintaining your health and weight. Which of these strategies will you try first?