The 25 Days of Fitness: Healthy Holiday Advent Activities
I have one goal this holiday season and one goal only: NOT to gain the 5-10 pounds the average person does from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.
If Thanksgiving weekend (and, um, the week that’s followed…) is any indication, I’m going to need to seriously up my game to make this goal a reality, so I put together a fun holiday fitness challenge. You know, like an Advent calendar … without the reward of chocolate (or wine if you’re the lucky minority who snagged the Aldi calendar!)
What’s your reward for completing this healthy holiday countdown challenge? Strength. Endurance. Flexibility. Balance. Possibly a little bit of holiday sanity. Plus, maybe it gives you a little bit of wiggle room when you do decide to indulge in some holiday treats. We’re all entitled to indulgence sometimes!
The calendar is arranged to rotate between strength, stretch, mental, endurance, core, cardio, and food challenges. Follow the calendar and do the challenge on the assigned day; if you miss one or fall behind, just complete two in the same day — or pick up where you left off. There’s no time like the holidays to practice the mantra “Progress, Not Perfection.”
Whether you complete Day 1 or the entire month, I hope it will help you stay motivated this holiday season and start the New Year feeling stronger than you are right now (or at least with fewer regrets).
Healthy Holiday Countdown Calendar: Free Printable and Fitness Activities
Download Free Printable: Healthy Holiday Advent Calendar PDF
Download Image (Save to your phone for easy reference):
December 1 – STRENGTH
Hold a side plank for 1 minute on each side. Lift your top leg for the last 15 second on each side.
December 2 – STRETCH
Try this sequence for 2 minutes: Start on your stomach and lift into Superman. Lower, push into a forearm plank, then Cobra pose, then push back into Downward Dog. Focus on lengthening in each pose and hold for approximately 15 seconds each before moving to the next.
December 3 – MENTAL
Schedule one self-care activity for yourself to be completed during December. Indulge a little – maybe a holiday mani/pedi or a massage to relieve your stress.
December 4 – ENDURANCE
Get in the holiday spirit by doing a wall sit to your favorite Christmas song. Hold it the entire time! (I won’t judge if you Google “shortest Christmas songs.”)
December 5 – CORE
Plank-Side Plank Sequence: Forearm plank, left side plank, shoulder plank, right arm plank, forearm plank, 1 minute each (or as close to a minute as you can get).
December 6 – CARDIO
Do a quick winter sports-themed cardio burst: 1 minute speed skaters, 1 minute mogul hops, 1 minute cross-country skiers. Repeat sequence once for a total of 6 minutes.
December 7 – FOOD
Plan and prep a whole week of healthy lunches focusing on green and red. I’m envisioning salads with avocado, tomato, pomegranate seeds or craisins.
December 8 – STRENGTH
Do 8 star jumps, then 8 tricep dips. Repeat 8 times. Feel the burn.
December 9 – STRETCH
Visualize yourself as a winter tree and hold Tree Pose for 1 minute on each side.
December 10 – MENTAL
Make a list of 10 things you love about yourself – physical, mental, anything goes. Write it down or say it out loud!
December 11 – ENDURANCE
Do 11 walking lunges in one direction. Then 11 deep squats. Then 11 walking lunges in the opposite direction. Add hand weights to increase the burn.
December 12 – CORE
Count down the 12 Days of Core workout: 12 crunches, 11 clamshells, 10 reverse crunches, 9 hip bridges, 8 bicycle crunches, 7 walking marchs, 6 Russian twists, 5 walkout planks, 4 in-and-out V-sit crunches, 3 Pilates roll-ups, 2 Superman lifts, and 1 minute reverse plank hold.
December 13 – CARDIO
Have a 10-minute Christmas song dance party (at least 3 songs). Don’t stop moving your feet! Not a dancer? Rotate between fast feet, high knees, and side steps instead.
December 14 – FOOD
Limit yourself to ONE treat only at each holiday event this weekend. (That’s one dessert OR one cocktail!)
December 15 – STRENGTH
Try a 5-10-15. Do 5 burpees, 10 deep plie squats, and 15 standing crunches. Repeat 3 times (for a total of 15 burpees).
December 16 – STRETCH
The solstice is approaching. Complete a Sun Salutation sequence. This 10-minute version by Yoga with Adriene is just right.
December 17 – MENTAL
Put down your phone for at least 1 hour before bedtime. Don’t pick it back up until morning.
December 18 – CARDIO
Get outside (unless there’s a blizzard!) for 18 minutes of power walking or jogging. The crisp winter air will do your body and soul good.
December 19 – FOOD
Cut out all added sugars (be sure to read the nutrition labels!) for at least 24 hours and see how it makes you feel.
December 20 – STRENGTH
Do 20 perfect push-ups. Go slow or go fast, on your toes or on your knees, but challenge yourself not to rest between reps.
December 21 – CORE
Hold a “grateful” plank for at least 1 minute (go for as long as you can!) while you focus on what you’re grateful for.
December 22 – ENDURANCE
Get in at least 15,000 steps as you rush around doing last-minute holiday prep.
December 23 – STRETCH
Start your Sunday with 20 minutes of yoga to balance body and mind. This 20-minute Let It Go Flow by Yoga with Adriene is on point for the season in so many ways.
December 24 – FOOD
Drink at least 80 ounces of water in addition to whatever else you’re eating and drinking today.
December 25 – MENTAL
Celebrate your journey and pause for reflect with a quick guided meditation. This 3-minute “Breathe in Calm” meditation by Lululemon ambassador Gabby Bernstein captures the holiday chaos perfectly.
Want to keep going? Finish out the year strong:
December 26 – ENDURANCE
It’s been a long month already. Knock out 26 speed squats as fast as possible and move on to recovering from the holidays.
December 27 – CORE
20 heel drops followed by 7 burpees. Repeat for good measure. How many times can you repeat?
December 28 – FOOD
Eat one serving of vegetables at every meal and snack.
December 29 – STRENGTH
Do 29 bicep curls followed by 29 upright rows with hand weights or a resistance band.
December 30 – STRETCH
Do 30 calf raises, 30-second Figure 4 stretches on both sides, 30 butterfly hip bridges, and a 30-second butterfly stretch.
December 31 – MENTAL
Write down at least 3 S.M.A.R.T. goals for 2019.
Whew! And in a blink of an eye, we’ve gone from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. I know these weeks are going to fly by in a haze of festivities, food, family, and fun, so I’m printing out my Healthy Holiday Advent Calendar and sticking it on my fridge where I can’t miss it. It’s the littlest things — like committing to 25 days of quick fitness challenges — that add up to long-term results.
Looking forward to staying accountable with you this season. Share your progress with @NeverDoneWithFun on social media! I’ll be posting my own completed challenges on Instagram Stories for you to follow.
