10 tips to get active post-holiday season

To help make that transition a little easier, we’ve put together a few tips to step up to new goals and walk confidently into the year ahead.

Make active time, social time

Doing exercise is a chance to get social with friends and family. Many people see exercise as a solo activity, but it doesn’t have to be! Build activity and exercise into family visits such as:

• Backyard cricket
• Going to the beach
• Kicking the footy
• Playing frisbee
• Going on a family walk

Focus on incidental exercise

Would you like the good news? Shopping can be exercise. Incidental exercise is an unstructured activity taken during the day, such as walking for transport, housework and other activities of daily living. Just make sure that your heart rate and breathing rate is higher than it is at rest and you’re not stopping at each café along the way for some extra treats.

Sit less

Long sitting time isn’t good for our health. We tend to sit a lot during the holiday season through family meals and watch summer sports like cricket and tennis. Break up sitting with small bursts of movement.

Move more

You will be surprised how many small efforts throughout the day can add up to healthy levels of activity. A simple idea may be walking around and enjoying your neighbourhood’s festive decorations.

Be an example to your friends and family members

Don’t be afraid of playtime at any age! Get involved with the younger and older generations of your social group and promote physical activity by setting an example. This could involve setting up family sport and unleashing your inner child.

Bring the gym to your own home

Now we’re not necessarily saying set up a gym in the house, but there are many ways to do exercise at home, you don’t even need equipment. Bodyweight training requires no extra equipment, is very effective on time and fitness. Examples include squats, calf raises and wall push ups.

Try something new

You may be taking a break from your regular routine so it’s probably also a good time to do something you’ve been meaning to try, such as a dance class, try that hike you were looking into during lockdowns, whatever it may be! Grab a friend and who knows, you may find your new favourite exercise.

Try exercising in the morning

The holidays get busy with social events and planned activities, try getting in your 30 minutes of exercise in the morning instead of feeling like you’re rushing to get it done later. As the day progresses, so does the temptation to skip your workout.

Don’t be concerned that it's past January 1st

January 1st may have come and gone but that's nothing to get concerned about if you were planning to get a good kick start into 2021 and commit to a New Year's resolution. Keeping steady throughout the holiday season and stepping into the new year by being mindful of your food and exercise choices is a great start.

Finally, our most important wellbeing tip

Don’t forget to enjoy the season and be kind to yourself. Embrace this time to spend with your friends and family and remember to take out the time to allow yourself to reset and reflect, give yourself praise for facing the challenges, and celebrate your wins.