{"id":2119,"date":"2018-11-30T20:54:09","date_gmt":"2018-12-01T02:54:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neverdonewithfun.com\/staging\/5228\/?p=2119"},"modified":"2018-11-30T21:03:41","modified_gmt":"2018-12-01T03:03:41","slug":"healthy-holiday-countdown-calendar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neverdonewithfun.com\/staging\/5228\/2018\/11\/30\/healthy-holiday-countdown-calendar\/","title":{"rendered":"Healthy Holiday Countdown Calendar"},"content":{"rendered":"
The 25 Days of Fitness: Healthy Holiday Advent Activities<\/span><\/h5>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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!)<\/p>\n

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!<\/p>\n

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.”<\/p>\n

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).<\/p>\n

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Healthy Holiday Countdown Calendar: Free Printable and Fitness Activities<\/span><\/h5>\n
Download Free Printable: <\/strong><\/span>Healthy Holiday Advent Calendar PDF<\/a><\/h6>\n
Download Image<\/strong>\u00a0(Save to your phone for easy reference):<\/h6>\n

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December 1 – STRENGTH<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Hold a side plank for 1 minute on each side. Lift your top leg for the last 15 second on each side.<\/p>\n

December 2 – STRETCH<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

December 3 – MENTAL<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

December 4 – ENDURANCE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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.”)<\/p>\n

December 5 – CORE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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).<\/p>\n

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December 6 – CARDIO<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

December 7 – FOOD<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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December 8 – STRENGTH<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Do 8 star jumps, then 8 tricep dips. Repeat 8 times. Feel the burn.<\/p>\n

December 9 – STRETCH<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Visualize yourself as a winter tree and hold Tree Pose for 1 minute on each side.<\/p>\n

December 10 – MENTAL<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Make a list of 10 things you love about yourself – physical, mental, anything goes. Write it down or say it out loud!<\/p>\n

December 11 – ENDURANCE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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December 12 – CORE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

December 13 – CARDIO<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

December 14 – FOOD<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Limit yourself to ONE treat only at each holiday event this weekend. (That’s one dessert OR one cocktail!)<\/p>\n

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December 15 – STRENGTH<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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).<\/p>\n

December 16 – STRETCH<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The solstice is approaching. Complete a Sun Salutation sequence. This 10-minute version by Yoga with Adriene<\/a> is just right.<\/p>\n