Maggie Schlegel
Last updated November 4, 2024

7 Top Tips – Elevate Your Holiday Fitness in 2024

Let’s face it… when the baked goods start rolling out of the oven and your family comes to stay – one of the first things to go… is your exercise routine.

You’re not alone. Sticking to a holiday fitness routine is tricky. But it doesn’t have to feel so impossible this year.

At Sultivate, we’re a Reformer Pilates and Group Fitness studio, that focuses on building the healthy community you need to thrive. Today… we’re getting ahead of the holidays and talking all things Holiday fitness.

Let’s dive into our top 7 ways to keep movement in your life – even with your busy holiday schedule.

1. Schedule Your Holiday Fitness Sessions Ahead of Time

One of the biggest reasons fitness tends to fly out the window throughout the year is our lives get too busy.¹

It’s easy to push your gym session to the next day… and the next… for a whole month. Especially when you’ve got a lot on your plate – and we’re not just talking about your Thanksgiving meal!

Truthfully, there is rarely a busier time than the holiday season. Treats start rolling out, your family starts rolling in – and suddenly that gym session doesn’t happen for several weeks.

But keeping the gym written into your daily calendar can go a long way towards helping you actually go.

So to keep your fitness strong throughout the holidays, don’t just pencil your workouts into your brain – pen them into your calendar. Writing things down is a more firm commitment on your part than just thinking you’ll do it.

Speaking of scheduling – if at all possible, you should schedule your solo gym visits…

2. Hit the Gym First Thing in the Morning

Holidays are often a time of last-minute invitations. You’re running around town trying to get your house ready for the in-laws and you bump into all sorts of friends who have things going on – the invitations often just start flying.

It can lead to your schedule being disrupted, and lots of fun last-minute holiday engagements.²

Getting your workout done first thing in the day is the only way to ensure it actually happens.

And by writing it down on your calendar for a specific time, you’re once again making a stronger commitment to complete it.

When you have goals for your fitness and health it’s so important to keep fitness on your schedule.

Speaking of schedules…

3. Add in Some Group Fitness Classes

We had to include this tip… we do, after all, offer Group Fitness at our studio.

But the truth is, working out with friends is a great way to keep your holiday fitness motivation up. Like-minded people with similar goals can keep you on track – even when life feels full or hectic.

Schedule a class a few times a week and then commit to going. When you make that conscious decision to workout ahead of time, you’ll find you have a lot more motivation to hit the gym.

The nice thing about Group Fitness is there are lots of options for switching up your routine and keeping things fresh. Even when you have a lot on your plate.

At Sultivate specifically, we offer:

Yoga
Barre
Zumba
TRX/HITT
Mat Pilates
Dance Fitness
Strength Training

There is something for everyone and a workout for every energy level.

You don’t have to commit to the dreaded Turkey Trot you hate… to get the benefits of working out with a fun group of people.

Whether you want to dance your stress out – or stretch out after lots of holiday meals – we’ve got you covered.

But if Group Fitness isn’t for you…

4. Include Family and Friends in Your Holiday Fitness Plan

Let’s face it. No matter how much you love them, visiting family or hosting friends can be stressful – sometimes getting out of the house is a must for all.

So when you’re scheduling out your workouts in advance, why not add in some fun family-oriented workouts?

You may not be the type of family that schedules a family football game every Thanksgiving – or maybe you are. But you could:

Go for a walk along a river.
Go for a hike in a new spot.
Visit a rec center with a pool.
Hit up a playground with the kids for a game of tag.

Getting out of the house together can be a great way to bond and get your workout in at the same time. Plus some of these are great ideas if you’re the one traveling to family – rather than vice versa.

Speaking of Thanksgiving – there’s a big topic coming up next!

5. Don’t Forget Everything You Know about Nutrition

The holidays are often all about the food (and drinks ;). But nutrition is part of your fitness too. Try to avoid making every meal of the day a cheat meal.

Instead, make sure you’re making some healthy choices too.

Whether it’s making the commitment for a healthy breakfast.

Or taking charge of the snack foods that sit out on the counter all day as you catch up and chat…

Instead of going straight for the charcuterie… throw a veggie tray out there too. With some healthy(er) dip!

Another side to nutrition… is hydration. Water. Is. life! Don’t forget to keep your water bottle filled and by your side throughout the day. Making healthy drink choices can help to balance out some of the splurging you’re doing with your top food picks.

Now back to exercise.

6. Take a Pilates Class With Us

Along with our Group Fitness classes – Pilates is an excellent way to break up your holiday fitness routine.

With three different types of Pilates classes, there’s a class for any mood and any movement need. Whether it’s:

A relaxing and stress-relieving Relax class…
Or you need to catch up on your cardio with a Sweat class.
Maybe you’re looking for a full-body workout – with less of the sweat – in our Reformer class.

Truth is, our Pilates classes can help you clear away the cobwebs and get back on track with your holiday fitness. No matter how much you’ve splurged or skipped in your regular fitness routine.

But perhaps the most important tip we have for you today…

7. Remember to Give Yourself Grace in Your Holiday Fitness Journey

It can be easy to fall into the mindset that you aren’t doing enough. This can often lead to you doing nothing at all when it comes to fitness. But the truth is, most people struggle to workout throughout the holiday season.

It’s ok to fall a little short of your goals – as long as you’re still trying to meet them. So keep an open mind this holiday season and remember that while fitness and wellness are important – so is family and enjoying yourself.

Holiday memories can be some of the best we make. So don’t allow guilt and stress over your holiday fitness routine ruin your mood.

Instead, keep your fitness goals in mind, do what you can to meet them – and then give yourself permission to enjoy the holidays and the spirit of community they bring.

Remember, January – and New Year’s resolutions – are right around the corner.

Need to Join a Fitness Community to Meet Your Holiday Fitness Goals?

Community is one of the things we believe to be most important in our fitness journeys. In fact, we started Sultivate because we were missing the fitness communities we had come to love in other areas we lived.

We’d love to have you join us for workouts at our Group Fitness Studio in Cottonwood or one of our Reformer Pilates Studios in Cottonwood or Sedona this holiday season.

Let’s build friendships with other members of this amazing community and support each other as we continue on similar journeys to health, wellness, and fitness. Positivity in Motion… Always!