Holidays are invariably associated with feasting at the table. Once we are seated with it, we rarely get up from it for the next few days. What if instead of the next hours at the makowiec and - what to hide - TV, you spend your time actively? Walking, skating or Nordic walking is also an excellent and, above all, he althier way to relax and prevent the build-up of the Christmas "tire".
If you want to feel good during and after Christmas, you should spend it actively. Remember that it is not worth overeating - Christmas dishes are best served in small portions. But most of all, instead of sitting at the table - get out of the house!
Go for a walk
Who said that we should only spend Christmas at the table? After all, spending free time with your family does not equal staying at home. On the contrary - a joint, family walk fosters the strengthening of family ties.
Everyone can go for a walk - parents, grandparents, children - and you don't need sports clothes, only comfortable shoes. Not only will we get oxygenated, but we will also let the excessively eaten food "settle" in the digestive tract.
During an hour's walk you will burn about 230 kcal. A brisk walk (7 km / h) has already burned almost 300 kcal.
Here are some advantages of walking:
- improve concentration
- improve memory and information processing
- help fight depression
- they serve a he althy heart, as they make veins and arteries more flexible, thanks to which blood circulates better in our body
- lower blood pressure,
- improve metabolism,
- they strengthen the locomotor system, both bones and muscles.
Researchers at the University of Southern California have concluded that a 15-minute walk relieves anxiety and tension more effectively than a mild sedative.
Take the sticks
If a walk is not enough for you, and you are a fan of Nordic walking, do not forget to take poles, suitable, breathable and warm clothes and shoes for Christmas. It turns out that during Nordic walking training we burn from 400 to 450 calories per hour, engaging 90% of our body muscles, while traditional walkingit consumes much less at the same time, about 280 calories per hour. During training, our heart rate increases by about 5-17 beats per minute (so it is higher by about 13% than during a normal walk).
Go sledding or organize a sleigh ride
Provided, of course, that it is snowing … If you've been on a sleigh ride at least once in your life, you know how much fun it is. Everyone used to sledge… in childhood. Those who have children can play sledding with them. You can get tired of just pulling the sleds up the hill! It is even a form of "intervals" - effort uphill, rest - downhill. In winter, nothing is as enjoyable as white down outside. Discover the child in you, you can afford it! After all, Christmas is coming …
Christmas ice skates
Ice rinks are often open during Christmas, if not on the first day of Christmas, then on the second. It is worth going on such a slide and burning some holiday calories at the same time. If you add a dynamic playlist with your favorite Christmas hits to it, it will be a great alternative to spending the holidays in front of the TV.
Ice skating is great aerobic exercise. Ice skating - just like inline skating - helps shape your legs and buttocks. During an hour of ice skating, you can burn from 300 to 800 kcal - depending on the intensity of the training. You will get the best results when you ride 2-3 times a week throughout the season.
This sport warms you up, so make sure you wear the right outfit. It is best to dress "on the onion". You may feel chilly at the beginning of your ride, but after just a few laps you will start shedding layers. Remember about gloves - they will additionally protect you against abrasions in the event of a fall.
Home gym
Most gyms are closed on holidays, but in larger cities you will find active gyms, even if only for half a day.
But we can do many trainings at home. All you need is a skipping rope, hula hoop, exercise mat, dumbbells and an online training program (or your own training plan). This way you will save time to travel to the gym and you can choose a convenient moment during the day so as not to miss Christmas meetings with your family.
You may have a harder time mobilizing yourself during Christmas, but your body will thank you after Christmas. You will also feel better when you can present a perfect figure in a New Year's Eve dress. Every move is better than no move.
Go skiing
A skiing trip is a great way to spend the holidays actively. If you go there with the whole family, you will not lose anything from the family atmosphere. And it will definitely be Christmasactive. On the slope you can choose a board, skis or one of the newer ways of skiing, e.g. snowfeet.
Find out more: Snowfeet - a new sport on the slope
One hour of racing skis is over 600 calories less. Recreational skiing burns approximately 290 calories per hour. Remember! Before you go to the slope, be sure to do a few weeks of training to avoid injuries.
Check how to prepare for a skiing trip:
Make a dry mortar before going skiing [VIDEO TRAINING]
Complete your equipment and go to the mountains!
If you do not go to the mountains and it is snowing, you can choose cross-country skiing. One hour of moderate-intensity training will lose about 400 kCal. By running quite fast and intensively at the same time, you can burn up to 1000 kCal.
Read more: Losing weight skiing: how much weight can you lose while skiing?
Running in the snow
Those who run regularly do not need to be persuaded to do so. On Christmas morning, go for a 45-minute workout. After about 30-45 minutes of activity, the body begins to release endorphins - the happiness hormones, regardless of whether it is warm or cold outside. Circulation improves, lung capacity increases, condition grows, we burn fat, which is so easily deposited during holidays.
Each of us reacts slightly differently to cold - our tolerance to cold is different, and our thermoregulation works differently, but it can be assumed that the comfortable temperature for runners is minus 5-10 ⁰C. Therefore, it is good to cover your mouth with a buff or a scarf during training in low temperatures so that the air flowing into your mouth is a little warmed up.
In cold weather, give up static stretching right before your run, but move briskly for 10 minutes. Stretching, which we usually finish training in summer, is better to do at home.
When running around the holidays, remember to dress properly. It's best to wear thermal underwear, a long- or short-sleeved T-shirt and a thin jacket or fleece, even a technical vest. Pants-leggings should have stoppers to stop the wind. Wear warm socks on your feet to protect your feet from the cold.
Sports gift
Christmas presents can also be associated with physical activity. In this way, we will mobilize ourselves to it, not only during the holidays. A great idea, instead of another pair of socks or a set of cosmetics, will therefore be, for example, a family pass to the swimming pool or fitness club, or sports equipment, such as a ball or a set for Nordic walking. Or maybe someone fromDo your relatives dream about ballroom dancing classes or test yourself on a climbing wall?
Such gifts show that we have devoted our time and really thought about what the person likes, what they dream about and what will give them a real pleasure. Thanks to this, they will not only bring joy, but also remain in the memory of the recipients throughout the next year.