subject: Tips for Keeping Fit Through the Holiday Season [print this page] Tips for Keeping Fit Through the Holiday Season
Here come the Holidays. Good comfort food and lots of favorite desserts all prepared with tender loving care to tempt us away from our proud efforts to keep our figures under control.
While you are being creative in the kitchen or during other household holiday chores there are several little things you can do as you move around that will help keep your legs in shape, relax your limbs and burn off a few extra calories. Stop in the middle of any busy session and take a few minutes to do these simple movements.
Steady yourself with your hands on the counter, stand with your feet a few inches apart, and rise up onto your toes. Lower your heels until they are just above the floor and go up again. Do this 5-10 times at first. This can be done whenever you think of it. It will help tone and define your calves (for that pair of killer high heels you got for that party) and improve your balance. Still steadying yourself, pretend you are going to sit down. Lower yourself as if to sit down, keeping your knees over your toes and then rise up. Start with 10 and add more as you go along. These mini-squats will relieve tension in your legs while working your quadriceps and gluts.
Add another exercise. As you stand at the counter, lift your leg out to the side as high as you can, being careful not to strain your hip. Do this 4-5 times each side, again adding more as you become more flexible. Then lift them out to the back as high as you can, keeping the knee softly bent so it won't be strained.
Turn sideways to the counter, stand with your heels together and toes pointed outward. Slowly lower yourself letting your knees point outward over your toes and rise up again. Do as many as you can comfortably and add more as time passes.
These are just some simple movements that can be done any time and any where. Of course if you don't exercise regularly, check with your Doctor and make sure he would approve. We all get so busy during the Holidays, that stress creeps in without being noticed. These movements will help alleviate muscle stress and burn off a few calories and as your muscles become a little stronger, they will keep burning calories even when you are just moving around normally.
