While the holiday season is supposed to be about relaxing and spending time enjoying good food, family and friends, many of us experience stress, exhaustion and weight gain. With so much going on and so little time to do it all, how can we avoid the negatives of the holiday season and enjoy the positives?

The answer is simple: Exercise. I know, I know, you’ve heard this before, but I’m going to say it again. Exercise really is a great way to control stress, improve sleep and keep the holiday weight-gain at bay. Sure, the holidays are a busy time and we all struggle to fit in sleep much less exercise. Yet making time for exercise despite your busy-ness will make the holidays much more enjoyable. Fitting exercise into your busy schedule doesn’t have to be difficult, and the benefits you reap will be well worth the effort.

To make time for exercise during the holiday season, try some of these strategies:

• Make an appointment. Schedule your workouts just like you would a meeting or appointment and honor those commitments. You’ll be more likely to exercise if it’s in your calendar.
• Break it down. The goal is to get in 30-45 minutes of exercise each day. Busy schedules may make it difficult to muscle through a 40-minute workout in one session. If that’s the case, don’t give up on getting that exercise in. Try squeezing in 3 or 4 ten-minute sessions throughout your day.
• It’s not all-or-nothing. Just 10 minutes of moderate activity (i.e. a brisk walk, jumping jacks, vigorous weight training) can have a positive impact on your stress levels and mood. Even if you don’t have time for those 30-45 minutes, any activity is better than none.
• Errands = exercise. Need some gifts from the mall? Before you hit the stores take a few brisk laps. Time to get groceries? Park as far from the store as you can to get in some extra steps and then take a quick lap up and down every aisle before you fill your cart.
• Sweat your breaks. Climb the stairs or take a lap around the block during your lunch break. Do crunches during the commercials of your favorite shows. Wrap a few gifts and then do two sets of push-ups before you go back to tying ribbons. Every break is an opportunity to get in some activity and get your heart pumping.

Fitting activity into your day during the holiday rush may not be easy, but it is possible. Whether you manage to get in 10 minutes or 60, taking time to exercise will make your holiday season brighter and less stressful than ever.

How do you keep exercise on your agenda during the rush of the holidays? Share your ideas with us at Blissfully Domestic’s Health Living Channel or leave a comment below.

(Photo by lollyknit)

Ami writes about her attempts to stay healthy, live a local and green life and write that Great American Novel (or something like it) at Writing: My Life.