The Solution to Staying Fit During the Holidays

November 16, 2013 By Leanne Vogel November 7, 2018

Power Posse Post by Brianne Grogan, Women’s Health Physical Therapist

I have been a longtime fan and follower of Healthful Pursuit. I feel certain that if Leanne and I lived closer we’d be friends, cooking together and going to yoga classes… Sadly, we live thousands of miles apart. But thanks to the world wide web, we can all stay connected and support one another on our paths to healthy living.

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One thing I have always loved about Healthful Pursuit is Leanne’s holistic approach to health. Although food is her focus, she also looks beyond nutrition when it comes to her readers’ and clients’ wellness.

What is wellness?

You can have the cleanest diet, drink daily organic green juices and only the purest water and still be plagued by health issues – from back pain to depression – if you don’t look at other aspects of your lifestyle.

Sleep, stress management, social engagement, and movement are always in the forefront of my mind as I pursue my very own “healthful pursuit” – a journey that has been evolving (and full of learning curves) since I was in my early twenties and realized that I had the power to change the health issues that chronically plagued me, from digestive distress, to acne, anxiety, and joint pain.

Why is movement so important?

I love learning how to improve my health using the simplest, most time-tested (non-pharmacological) means possible. I truly believe that movement saved my life. Learning to love fitness improved my self-confidence, elevated my mood, and decreased my anxiety.

Furthermore, as a women’s health physical therapist and the founder of FemFusion® Fitness, I feel highly qualified to tackle the subject of movement. I say “movement” rather than “exercise,” because let’s face it: some people equate exercise with torture! They feel they don’t have time, they don’t have the motivation… They’d rather run their nails against a chalkboard then go to the gym and plod on a treadmill or pump iron.

I’m here to tell you that movement can be fun, exhilarating, and is one of the best long-term investments in your health that you can make.

The “Move More” Challenge

To create a habit, you must do something over and over, every day, for a sustained period of time. Research has shown that three to four weeks is usually sufficient to (literally!) re-wire your brain and create new patterns of thinking and doing.

To help you create new habits (and to have fun doing it!) I created a December “move more” challenge. I designed a downloadable calendar with DAILY clickable links to my favorite YouTube fitness videos as well as simple weekly movement challenges.

My intention with this challenge is to raise awareness about the importance of movement when it comes to long-term health and to empower you to MOVE MORE during this busy holiday season. Yes, it is possible! We all know that movement makes us feel better, keeps us lookin’ good, and helps us live longer. I don’t want anyone to forget this, even with the excuse of holiday preparations in December.

But I don’t have time! Especially right now…

Yes you do. Most of the videos on the “move more” calendar are under 15 minutes (most are under 10, and some are even shorter than 5 minutes), and the weekly movement challenges are simple activities that you can easily work into your day without disrupting your lifestyle, even during the holidays.

The best way to keep yourself on-track is to involve others. Invite your friends, co-workers, and family members to join you on this challenge. Be sure to tell them WHY you are moving more… Why you might be taking more “walking breaks” at work, and why you’re “glowing” from the 15 minute fitness video you did before lunch.

Spread the word about the importance of consistent movement when it comes to long-term health and wellness, and model good behavior. I think of this as “leaving a legacy of health.” You never know who you are going to help – or whose life you could change – by modeling healthy behaviors. Giving the gift of health is the best Christmas present possible!

Are you up for the challenge?

Join FemFusion Fitness email list before December 1^st and you will automatically receive a downloadable PDF calendar for December 2013 with the links to the daily fitness videos, and descriptions of the weekly movement challenges. Encourage others to sign up as well – there is power in numbers! Let’s start a movement revolution AND get a jump-start on our New Year’s Resolutions.

Please know that when you sign up for my email newsletter your information is kept 100% private, and I never send more than two emails per month.

Author Bio: Brianne Grogan is a women’s health physical therapist who believes in the power of healthy living to create strong, happy women – the backbone of a thriving society. Brianne is the author of FemFusion Fitness for Intimacy and and the founder of FemFusion Fitness, offering live and online health and fitness resources for women. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Brianne now lives in Germany with her husband and son. Keep in touch!