It’s easy to forget about exercising this time of year. As we enter the holiday season, our schedules fill up even more with extra social events, shopping, preparing the house for guests, etc. Scheduling yourself out of that exercise routine can happen without even trying.

Why would you want to remain solid with your exercise routine – especially during the holidays?

1. It’s much easier to keep a habit going than to stop and then restart. Skipping that workout because you’re just not feeling it today is a slippery slope.

Once you give in to “not feeling it today,” it gets easier and easier to skip it the next time. Don’t skip your workout. Do a lighter version of the workout if you need to, but keep that good habit going and do something instead of skipping it altogether.

2. Exercise is a great stress reliever. Let’s be honest, even with all of the fun things that come along with the holidays, the extra activity and change in routine add a certain amount of stress.

Skipping a workout because you’re feeling stressed out is the worst thing you can do. Get moving, even if it’s just a brisk walk for 15-20 minutes. You will feel better.

3. Consistent exercise can help offset holiday weight gain. Most of us tend to eat more during the holidays and usually it’s things that are not exactly healthy.

I certainly recommend moderation when it comes to indulging in holiday treats, and offsetting some of that with a solid workout routine can make a real difference.

How many pounds will you gain between now and January 1st? As we all probably know in our hearts, it’s a lot easier to avoid weight gain in the first place than to try to lose it later.