It’s that time of year again: Jack Frost is nipping at your nose, and you’ve got lots of holiday celebrating, cooking and shopping to do. While the cold weather and a packed social calendar are easy excuses for not exercising, it’s still important to be physically active - and below, Joyce Hanna, associate director of Stanford’s Health Improvement Program, provides some useful advice for how to stay active and inspired.

What are some ways to stay motivated to exercise during the holidays?

The holidays can be a joyous time, but they can also be very stressful and a time of extreme sadness for some. It’s important to keep in mind that you’re going to feel better and be able to cope better with the holidays if you plan some exercise time into your day. Exercise will keep your stress level down, your mood and energy up and help deal with those extra holiday calories.

Having a sense of well–being will help you feel better about yourself and also help you be the kind of person you want to be for others. Research done by John Bartholomew, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Texas at Austin shows that just acknowledging you’re maintaining an exercise program can have an impact on your energy level. When you’re pleased with yourself for exercising, you have a greater sense of vigor and energy after the workout and throughout the day.

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