Workout Advent Calendar
Hey hey! How are you doing? Hope you’re having a lovely morning.
I can’t believe December will be here TOMORROW. Even though we all know I get a liiiiittle too excited about Christmas and the holidays, I feel even more stoked this year. Two years ago we were dealing with all that nasty reflux and medical stuff, and last year, Christmas flew by in a blur since we were moving out of our San Diego house to high-tail it to Tucson on Christmas Eve.
While I’m kind of bummed that we won’t be headed to AZ, I’m excited to relax here at home and create some of our own traditions. Our Christmases are always different since we’ve been in so many different places (and a couple of hotels Christmas morning)! Some of the things on the list: The Nutcracker (we’ve gone since Liv’s first Christmas!), morning cinnamon rolls, adventures to look at lights and drink hot cocoa (P has never had it, and it’s going to rock her world), and holiday movie nights. I’ve already totally failed at Elf on the Shelf. Liv was like, “Isn’t she supposed to fly away and come back on Thanksgiving?” when she sat in the same slumped position she’d been in for a week. Oops.
As far as workouts go, this is when things can get a little tricky. So many of us have festivities and extra to-dos that time at the gym seems impossible. No matter how crazy my schedule gets, I still try to clear 30 minutes most days of the week for something. Even if it’s just a walk around the neighborhood, it does significant wonders for my sanity. I’m excited about today’s post because it’s a little somethin’-somethin’ to put some pep in your workout step and change up your routine this holiday season.
For 25 days, we’ll have a different fitness challenge for each day.
Your workout advent calendar!
Here’s what it looks like:
I’m not going into full form cues for each exercise – I know you don’t have all day! haha – but if you have questions about specific exercises, please comment below or DM me on Instagram.
One fitness surprise each day for the next 25 days:
1 mile walk or run. This can be on the treadmill or around your neighborhood. Or that power-shop walk around the mall.
2 minutes of high knees. For a low-impact option, march in place, exhaling to bring your knees towards your chest.
3 sets of 15 jump squats. Be sure to land with a soft knee and exhale to spring up. For a low-impact option, eliminate the jump and just reach your arms overhead, rising up onto your toes.
4 sets of 10 heavy squats.
5 minutes of meditation. Try the Headspace App or any of Bex Life’s videos for inspiration! Here’s how I like to meditate.
6 minutes on the rowing machine.
7 back extensions with a back squeeze, 30 seconds of swimming.
8 star jacks x 4 rounds. For low-impact, try regular jumping jacks, but step your feet out and in instead of jumping.
9 minutes of hill climbs on the treadmill or stairclimber.
10 sun salutations.
11 lateral lunges on each side.
12 chest presses x 3 rounds.
13 mountain climbers on each side.
14 heavy wide rows.
15 walking lunges on each side.
16 minutes of Tabata training (4 rounds!). For Tabata ideas, check out this post and this workout.
17 minutes of your favorite cardio. Choose something that will get your heart rate up and that you enjoy! Yes, intense holiday shopping counts.
18 second planks x 3 rounds .
19 kettlebell or dumbbell swings.
20 burpees.
21s biceps curls; 3 sets. This is where you do the lower third of the biceps curl 7 times, the middle portion (just pulsing at 90 degrees 7 times), then full range 7 times.
22 frog crunches.
23 second stretches for quads, hamstrings, glutes and hip flexors.
24 minutes of walking or running.
25: 1 minute plank, 15 burpees, 20 push-ups, 20 triceps dips and 100 jump rope skips. The grand finale!
Are you going to join in the fun?! Please be sure to tag me (@fitnessista #merryFITmas) for a sneaky giveaway.
xoxo
Gina
Wearing: Fabletics Polly leggings and Helena tank, Nikes (on super sale), Apple watch (on sale! I LOVE it)
Photos by Lindsay Colson
33 Comments
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Yea! I love this! Definitely joining in. Thank you, thank you for inspiring me and helping me up my fitness game in December while I’m also upping my celebrating.
I love this idea! I’ll definately join in… December always gets busy but this will be motivation to move every day in some way or another no matter what!
yes, exactly! so excited you’re joining in 🙂
I always feel better when I do something and when I don’t I realize how important working out is to my sanity.
amen!
I’m in! Can’t wait to start. Thanks for doing this!
can’t wait!
I love this! Will definitely be joining in. Thanks!
so awesome!
Will definitely do this — would love to print it out – is there an easy way to do that?
so the graphic is 3 graphics because it’s so huge! i would click on each image to open in a separate tab, and print individually from there
Omg I love this idea! My mom wasn’t big on letting us eat a lot of candy when I was a kid, so advent calendars were THE BEST.
haha except i would eat like 5 at once 😉
This is a great idea! I plan on staying active by going on a walk or riding my bike for at least 30 minutes a day. I may sneak a few of these in when I want the extra challenge!
Yes! Love this!! Totally doable! I’m going to print it and put it in my cork board at work:) What can we sub for rowing machine if we don’t have access to one?
so awesome!!
you can do a different type of cardio instead! dance, stair climber, spin 🙂
Love this what a great idea!
Wow, this is such a great idea! Changing up your exercise routine is so important to being able to stay on the course.
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This looks like a great idea. Would definitely join in.
Super cute idea! Love it.
I am in. On Days 1 and 6, can I use OTF as my exercise?? Since I do not have a rower, OTF is my only option to do that!
Side note-OTF is having a 12 days of Christmas. 🙂
of course you can!
AHH i miss OTF
How fun. Of course I’ll join in!
yay, so happy you’re joining in!
Such a good idea!
Great idea! Love this!
🙂 !
I’m in!
so pumped you’re joining in!
Count me in! Hopefully this will help me create a habit I can continue into the new year.
Ooh this is fun! I like that this is really manageable to fit in during such a busy time. Great idea! Thanks for putting this together – I will be following along. And I’m super excited for WSU, especially with videos!!
Crazy work week – just catching up on my missed blog reading – I’m in! And caught up 🙂
Love this…work has been insanely busy & now I’m catching up on all the posts I missed! This is awesome!
About your winery trip…I love a good winery day. My friends and I try to go once a month (Virginia has a ton of wineries). Sometimes we do family days at the winery and other times it’s just the girls. Wine slushies are def the best. I wish we had Tipsy Transit….!