With the holiday season just around the corner, everyone is excited to see family, friends, and of course, eat a lot of delicious food. Staying physically active might be the last thing on anyone’s mind, however, its still important to maintain one’s health and fitness. Luckily, staying fit can actually be fun and a good opportunity to partake in family bonding. Here are five key tips on how to stay active during the holidays that are fun, engaging, and do not require spending endless hours in a gym.

1: Go on hikes or walks with family.

ombine physical activity your local parkou can start to really enjoy physical activity you perhaps didn’t know you once could. If you live near mountains or hills, going on hikes is  great for staying in shape.

2: Get moving at home with fun workout DVDs

There are hundreds of interactive DVDs on the market right now such as beachbody workouts, Zumba, and even hip hop dance along DVDs. Grab a family member and get your sweat on with any of these high intensity, calorie burning exercise videos that are not only fun, but keep you in shape!

3: Play sports with the family

Ultimately, if you want to stay in shape for your beloved sport you’ve spent all term playing – then go out and keep playing! Keep competing, if not spend time with family by  engaging in team sports such as football, ultimate Frisbee, or even simple games  tag. Take your family to a park or a grassy field and get moving! This is not only a great way to bond with loved ones, but you can also engage in a little fun competition as well!

4: Start doing yoga in the morning

There have been numerous studies that have shown the overall health benefits of yoga, particularly sleep, diet, and stress. Starting the day off with a yoga session could be a great way to maintain good health throughout the holidays. Families and friends could partake in yoga classes or sessions together, which would be a great way to bond and destress.

5. Eat well, drink responsibly!

This one is probably for the more intense athletes – as there’s no denying that the Christmas holidays are all about drinking and eating, especially for most students. Indulging in all these treats is by no means a bad thing, but it’s important to find space for healthy eating and looking after our body as wellAny time you’re not enjoying a family meal or night out with friends, just consider whether perhaps there’s space for a healthy alternative to keep you ahead of the game come the new year. After New Years, there’s a whole two weeks until the start of the term, and this is plenty of time to get the body back in shape!

With these five tips, you can easily balance your health and the time you spend with your family. With all of the food and relaxation time that comes with the holiday season, it can be easy to neglect one’s physical health. Spending 30 minutes to an hour a day engaging in some form of activity is all it takes to stay fit!