The winter holidays are often painted as a time of joy, connection, and celebration—and they can be all of those things. They can also be busy, overwhelming, emotionally charged, and exhausting. Between packed schedules, colder weather, disrupted routines, and added expectations, it’s no surprise that movement is often the first thing to fall off the list.
But staying active through the winter holidays isn’t about “burning off” holiday meals or staying perfectly consistent. It’s about supporting your physical and mental health during one of the most stressful times of the year.
Movement as Support in Stressful Times
When life feels chaotic, movement can be grounding. Keeping some form of fitness routine—no matter how small—can help your body and brain navigate stress more effectively.
Physical benefits of staying active in winter:
- Maintains strength, mobility, and joint health
- Helps regulate energy levels and sleep
- Supports immune function during cold and flu season
- Prevents the “starting over” feeling later
Mental & emotional benefits:
- Reduces stress hormones and boosts mood
- Creates structure during unpredictable weeks
- Offers a sense of control when things feel overwhelming
- Provides a dedicated moment just for you
Movement doesn’t have to be intense or time-consuming to be beneficial. In fact, during the holidays, less can be more.
January Doesn’t Need to Be a Reset Button
There’s a lot of pressure around January: new goals, new routines, new habits. But waiting until January to “start again” can unintentionally reinforce an all-or-nothing mindset.
Staying active in December—even with shorter, simpler workouts—means:
- You’re already in the habit of moving
- Your body feels less shocked when schedules normalize
- Fitness feels like a continuation, not a restart
- You’re choosing consistency over perfection
You don’t need a fresh calendar to take care of yourself.
Stress Is Inevitable—Movement Helps
The holidays come with stress: family dynamics, finances, travel, grief, expectations, and time pressure. While movement can’t remove those stressors, it can change how your body responds to them.
Regular movement:
- Improves stress resilience
- Reduces muscle tension from sitting and travel
- Encourages deeper breathing
- Helps you process emotions instead of storing them physically
Sometimes the most powerful reason to move isn’t physical—it’s emotional.
Two Simple 20-Minute Holiday-Friendly Workouts
No equipment. No big spaces needed. Just movement that supports your body.
20-Minute Full-Body Bodyweight Workout
Goal: Maintain strength, elevate mood, feel energized
Warm-up: 5-10 reps each. Do what feels best for you
- Cat Cow
(From all fours or seated) - Adductor Rocks
(From all fours or elevated) - Inch Worm to World’s Greatest Stretch
(Elevated or to the floor) - Squat with T-spine Rotation
(Squat as deep as feels good for you) - Low or High Impact Cross Jack
(Pick an impact level that feels good for you)
Video of this warm up:
Workout Format: Reverse ladder: most reps to least reps. Rep count: 10, 8, 6, 4, 2. Rest minimally between exercises (for a cardio benefit) and rest 1-2 minutes between each set/round.
Complete 5 sets/rounds
- BW Squats or BW Squats to Reverse Lunge
(Use a chair if needed—this is functional, not fancy) - Incline or Floor Push-Ups
(Wall, bench, sturdy coffee table, or floor—choose your level) - Glute Bridges
(Both legs or single for a bit more spice) - Side Plank
(Forearm or hand. From knees or straight legs) - Bird Dog
(Core alignment and glute activation over speed)
Video of this workout
20-Minute Mobility-Focused Session
Goal: Reduce stiffness, calm the nervous system, restore movement
Move slowly and breathe throughout.
- Rocked Back Breathing – 5 slow, long breaths
- Cat Cow– 5 reps in each direction
- Adductor Rocks – 5 reps on each side
- Open Books – 5 reps on each side
- Straddle with T-Spine Rotation– 5 reps on each side
- Lunge with T-Spine Rotation and Arm Circle– 5 reps on each side
- Lunging Ankle Dorsiflexion– 5 reps on each side
- Controlled Hip Circles– 5 reps on each side and in each direction
Video of this routine
Fitness That Fits Real Life
Staying active through the winter holidays doesn’t mean doing more—it means doing what’s possible and supportive to you and your life in the moment.
Some weeks that might be a workout.
Some weeks it might be a walk, mobility, or deep breathing.
All of it counts.
Movement is not a moral obligation. It’s a tool. And during a season that asks a lot of us, it can be one of the most helpful ones we have.
