by David Aaron White

Created on: November 10, 2009   Last Updated: November 20, 2009

The holidays are a good time to get active because you're on vacation. Most employers offer a holiday break; so do most schools and universities. That being said, you'll find that you have much more free time over the holidays to work out. Sure, you'll be spending time with friends and family and taking some time to take a break from life, but you'll have a week or two at your disposal to do whatever you wish; and if you want to get in shape, then you can use this time to be active.

If you have a break from school, then the holidays are obviously a good time to stay active because you don't have nearly as much work as you do during the semester. No homework, no studying, no exams. You'll have hours that you would normally spend studying to exercise instead. There's no pressure, nothing academic to worry about. Sure, you might want to spend time with friends, but they might be home with their own families for the holidays or away on vacation, so it is likely that you'll have less time to spend with them and more time to exercise.

Believe it or not, the winter weather isn't that big a deal when it comes to working out. See, you never have to worry about getting overheated or dehydrated while working out in the wintertime. Additionally, the cold air will feel good to you as you run because your body's flowing blood will warm you, and eventually, you'll want to cool down. If you wear proper clothing (no shorts or t-shirts!) then the cold won't be a problem at all. However, it isn't that easy to run in the snow, and you certainly shouldn't be exercising outdoors if there's a copious amount of ice on the ground.

The holidays are also a great time to catch-up to everyone else. In fact, this is also an opportunity to get ahead of them. Think about it: everyone else will probably be hibernating, watching television, or stuffing their faces over vacation, but you can use that time to get into shape and work out while they're being lazy. Yes, this isn't a competition, but you can still win. Besides, if you start working out now, then you can look better come swimsuit season; no one needs to see you in a bathing suit during the winter, so you can sneak up on them with a new and improved body come June.

It's a perfect time to get into shape because you have more time, better weather, and an opportunity to succeed where everyone else will be declining. As usual, make sure that you pay special attention to stretching before your workout, for the cold weather makes it more difficult to get the blood moving through your body. Stay loose, stretch, and you should be fine as far as winter exercising goes.

Learn more about this author, David Aaron White.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.