Why Short Workouts are Your Holiday Secret Weapon
- Jessica Caryk
- 14 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Staying active during the holiday season with all the festive commitments, preparation and travel, can feel like an impossible feat. With so much on your plate, a dedicated hour-long gym session is not always easy to fit in. The temptation to "just skip it until January" is strong, but succumbing often means losing momentum, battling extra soreness, and facing a steeper climb when you try to restart.
What if there was a better way? Enter the power of the short workout.
The Myth of "All or Nothing"
Many of us operate under the belief that if a workout isn't intense or lengthy, it's not worth doing. This "all or nothing" mentality is a major saboteur, especially during busy times. The truth is, even short bursts of movement offer significant benefits and are a crucial strategy for maintaining consistency.
Why 10-20 Minutes Can Be a Game-Changer
Don't underestimate what you can achieve in a brief, focused workout. These micro-sessions are your holiday secret weapon for several key reasons:
Habit Preservation is Everything: The most powerful benefit of a short workout is the preservation of your habit. Showing up, even for a quick 15 minutes, reinforces the mental commitment to your fitness goals. It tells your brain, "This is still a priority," making it exponentially easier to get back to longer sessions when life settles down.
Prevents Soreness: Skipping workouts for weeks means when you finally jump back in, you're hit with that intense soreness. Not only is it uncomfortable, it's a huge demotivator! Short, consistent workouts keep your muscles primed, reducing that dreaded post-break agony and making your return to a full routine much smoother and more enjoyable.
Boosts Energy & Mood: Even a quick session releases endorphins, improves blood flow, and can drastically shift your mood. Battling holiday stress or sluggishness? A 15-minute burst of activity can be more effective than another cup of coffee.
Accumulative Benefits: Those short workouts add up! Three 15-minute sessions a week is 45 minutes of movement you wouldn't have had otherwise. Over the course of the month, that's significant activity that keeps your body strong and metabolism active.
Making Short Workouts Work for You
Go Full-Body: Focus on compound movements (like squats, push-ups, lunges, planks) that hit multiple muscle groups for maximum efficiency.
Schedule It: Just like any other important task, block out 10-20 minutes in your calendar. Whether it's first thing in the morning, during a lunch break, or while dinner is cooking – make it non-negotiable.
Embrace Bodyweight: You don't need equipment to get a great short workout. Use your own body weight and gravity to your advantage, whether you're at home, in a hotel room, or even visiting family.
Don't let the "all-or-nothing" trap steal your progress this holiday season. Embrace the power of the short workout. It’s not just about staying active; it’s about nurturing your habit, minimizing setbacks, and giving yourself the gift of consistency and well-being.
Looking for a 20 minute workout you can try? Watch the video below!
Not sure where to start? Looking for a coach or program? Backed by 8+ years of experience, I deliver results that last by guiding you every step of the way.
My method rests on the 5 pillars of: Mindset, Movement, Habits, Nurture, Nutrition.
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