December Fitness Tips Published Nov. 28, 2016 By Michelle Walker 169th Force Support Squadron MCENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C. -- 7 Ways to Sneak in a Holiday Workout With the holidays around the corner we need a workout regimen we know we can stick with when our schedules are all out of whack. It's key to be creative and remember that even short workouts are better than no workouts at all. Here are a few tips on how to keep in shape during the holidays. 1. Do a "Condensed-but-Intense-Workout" Customize your own 30-minute workout combining three lower body workouts (squats or lunges) and three upper body exercises (modified push-ups or chair dips). Warm up with exercises like marching or jogging in place, then do 10 to 20 repetitions of a lower body exercise and 10 to 15 repetitions of an upper body exercise. Follow this with a minute of jumping jacks or jogging in place. Repeat this routine two or even three times and then try a variation of abdominal crunches, low back lifts and stretches. 2. Rehearse Your Routine Practice makes perfect, so in order to be familiar and comfortable with your routine, do it as often as possible. 3. Get Active in Airports If flight delays leave you with extra time at the airport, take advantage of it. Store your luggage in an airport locker and take a hike through the terminal. 4. Bring Tubes, Bands and More Don't leave out fitness equipment when you're packing for a trip. Bring fitness videos, comfortable walking shoes, bathing suit for those indoor pools, or other gear that you can fit in your bag. 5. Get a Jump Rope Jumping rope is a great way to get in a few minutes of intense cardio workout and it can be done just about anywhere. If you don't have a jump rope, try climbing flights of stairs instead. 6. Plan to Relax Don't overdo it. Staying fit is important, but spending down time is important as well, so engage family members to join you on your quest to be healthy. 7. Ease Back Into Your Routine Depending on how much you worked out during your travel, you may need to gradually ease back into your old routine. You may want to consider using lighter weights or decrease the intensity or the duration of your workouts until you can return to pre-trip conditions.