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"It's
a battle of mind
versus mattress....
Starting a day with an early
victory over self
leads to more victories."
Stephen Covey,
Principle Centered Leadership.
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Holiday
Fitness
The holidays
are filled with fun, family, and food, but unfortunately,
not with a lot of physical
activity. Finding ways to maintain your
exercise routine and get your family up and moving will
help you de-stress and provide
a fun alternative to the usual “couch potato”
monotony of a family visit.
Finding
Time for Fitness at Home
If you’re staying home for the holidays, take
a break from your usual fitness routine and try something
new.
 Schedule
a joint workout session
with a friend, ahead of time. Keeping
your appointment with your friend will give you an
excuse to escape the family for a few hours!- Set your alarm
for an early morning walk or jog.
- Treat
yourself to a yoga or Pilates video
that you can pop into the VCR in your bedroom before
everyone else awakens.
- Book
a tennis, racquetball, or squash court
with a friend.
Getting
Active with the Family
Look for creative ways to get the family up and
moving.
- Bundle
everyone0 up for a walk luk[`
- ''//;;;kolf]lcnmm
d, after dinner to look at the neighborhood holiday
lights and decorations.
- Insist on visiting
the department store at the far end of the mall.
- If you live
within walking distance of a nice café or restaurant,
walk to lunch or dinner. If not everyone
wants to walk, let someone drive and meet you there.
- Take the kids
ice-skating or roller-skating
and lace up!
- Park
at the farthest corner of the lot at
the mall.
- Schedule
a family tennis, basketball, or badminton tournament.
- Build
a snowman or go cross-country skiing.
- Take everyone
for nine holes of golf
at a par three golf course.
Staying
Fit on the Road
Staying with family
over the holidays makes it especially challenging
to find time (and equipment) for exercise and eating healthy.
Plan ahead and be creative.
- Check
online for nearby fitness centers. Most
usually have a nominal fee for a day pass. Try http://www.healthclubs.com/.
- Plot
out a walking or running route. Check
out http://www.runtheplanet.com/ for routes in cities
throughout the US. Didn’t find anything nearby?
Then plot your own route and submit it to the site!
- Bring
exercise bands and an “in-room”
workout program such as the one from http://www.healthytravelnetwork.com/.
- Plan
on early morning exercise, before everyone
expects to see you at the breakfast table.
- Bring or make
a healthy side-dish or dessert to the
family dinner.
- Pack
healthy snacks or plan a stop at the
grocery store on your way into town. See our December
2003 article for healthy snack ideas (http://www.ncjournalforwomen.com/months/dec2003/newdec03karenhiser.htm).
Planning
is the Key to Success
Just as with fitness for business travel, finding
exercise time during a family visit requires establishing
goals and planning ahead. Use the worksheet
provided below to plot your course to success! Download
a free copy at http://www.healthytravelnetwork.com/holiday-goal-setting.pdf.
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Karen
is the owner and founder of Healthy Travel Network, the only company focused
exclusively on helping business travelers stay fit. Free membership in
Healthy Travel Network provides great benefits including a free monthly
newsletter packed with Travel Fit Tips, access to our Fit Hotels directory,
and members-only product discounts.
www.healthytravelnetwork.com