Sponsored Post by UnitedHealthCare
This holiday season, like any other holiday season, the combination of cold weather and tons of great food is a recipe for disaster when it comes to dieting and staying in shape. There are tons of resources out there for ways to avoid overeating during the holidays and for healthy recipe alternatives to traditional comfort foods. But what about exercise? The cold weather isn’t always conducive to going outside and running and not everyone can do high-impact weight/cross training.
We all know that sitting around is unhealthy. Combine that with the stress, weather and food during the holidays and it can be easy to pack on the weight and let exercise take a back seat. Something as simple as a daily walk can help reduce stress and provide an easy, low-impact way to promote holiday weight loss. The video link provides insight into a simple daily walking plan that can be done with a small daily commitment that can have a big impact over time. No matter how busy we are, we can find the time to take a walk. It can be done if you’re pregnant, is easy on the joints and is a great way to relieve stress and start building an exercise regiment. It’s been said that “the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago….the second best time is today.” This can definitely apply to starting an exercise program and starting to establish a healthy lifestyle. Plus, I personally would much rather walk than lift weights at a gym or go for a run. As you all know, I’m a little bit of a hypochondriac and am afraid my heart might explode if I go for a run. I’d rather take my kids with me and go for a walk and enjoy the scenery!
If you’re still skeptical after watching the video, here is another great link that includes references for the fact that even if you can’t run or jog, walking is a great place to start burning calories and improving your mood, reducing stress and just feeling better. Just don’t forget to be mindful of how many servings of cranberry sauce and stuffing you have this Thanksgiving!
