Tips to help you stay on your fitness game this holiday season

UPPER PENINSULA – The holidays are a fun, yet a hectic time of year for many. Traveling, parties and house guests can throw a wrench in your exercise regimen, but it doesn’t have to.
     Aspirus fitness coordinator, Caitlin Bukovich, ACE-CPT recommends the following tips to help you stay on top of your fitness game this holiday season:
     - Join a challenge. Fitness challenges are popular this time of year. Have some fun and keep yourself committed by joining a challenge that interests you. Check with your workplace or local gym to see what they offer to motivate you to stay physically active, and possibly win some fun prizes. 
- Don’t buddy up. The buddy system may not be your best bet this time of year. Schedules are already busy, so trying to align time with a buddy may make it next to impossible. Focus on prioritizing exercise in your day and take any opportunity you can to get it done. 
- Be prepared. Use a calendar to mark important events in the upcoming weeks, and then plug your exercise in around those events. Be flexible. If you’re used to exercising after work, but your calendar doesn’t allow you to be, be open to getting it done before work on that specific day. have at-home workouts on hand for days you can’t leave the house. Planning is key to success.
- It’s not all or nothing. Accept the fact that your exercise time may decease during the holidays, but this doesn’t mean it has to disappear. Replacing lengthy gym or cross-country ski sessions with a quick, 30-minute walk is better than nothing.
     “Remember, the holidays should be a happy time of year, spent with the ones you love,” Bukovich said. “Don’t over stress if you have to change your fitness routine. Move when you can. Your body and mind will be grateful.”
Aspirus Health Fitness Centers offer something for all ages and fitness levels, including flexible memberships, state-of-the-art equipment, fitness classes and American Council on Exercise Certified personal trainers. The fitness center in Calumet is open Monday through Friday 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. 
For more information, call 906-337-7000 or visit aspirus.org. 
     Want more holiday health tips? Check out more tips for a healthier holiday on the Aspirus website.