Workouts To Do While You Watch Holiday Movies

4 Workouts To Do While You Watch Holiday Movies – The holidays are a time for treats, hearty meals, and relaxation. Most of us sneak a few candies here and there, attend a few parties, drink some wine and cook big, rich dinners. We also like to lounge about the house with family members, and potentially stay up a little later watching TV or movies. Add it all up and it’s the coziest time of the year – but also far and away the easiest one during which to pack on a few extra pounds!

One way to work around this tricky issue is to find exercises you can do while enjoying the holidays. Take watching movies, for instance. Most of us like to watch at least a few films this time of year. Perhaps you have a family go-to like Love Actually. Maybe you get nostalgic and throw on old Christmas movies from your childhood. Or maybe you just take the extra hours wrapped up in a blanket to go back through a favorite series like Harry Potter or Lord Of The Rings. Whatever the case, if you plan on spending some time in front of a screen, you can exercise while doing it. It’s a great way to burn a few hundred extra calories here and there and at least make a slight dent in a holiday season fitness effort.

Here are four specific workouts you can do while you watch holiday movies.

1. Planks

Planks are considered to be among the best core exercises out there, and it’s been said that they can make a good starting point if you’re just starting a journey to get fit and healthy (as many of us are immediately following the holiday season). Planks can be done simply on the floor while you keep your eyes on a screen, and there are variations of them that can add more challenges once you strengthen your core.

2. Pushups

Pushups are generally viewed as some of the most effective exercises there are, and they’re also among the easiest to do. You can’t necessarily keep your eyes on the screen, but you can easily knock out a set of 15 or 20 pushups at a time without missing much, then sit and watch the movie until your next set.

3. Isometric Shrugs

Isometric shrugs have actually specifically been highlighted as good workouts for gamers, and doing these workouts while watching a film is hardly any different. You can even do this while sitting down if you just grab the sides of your seat and push up as if you’re getting up (but don’t actually move). It’s a contraction to work your shoulders that you hold briefly before relaxing and pushing again.

4. Squats

An article on exercising while watching TV posed a simple challenge: see how many squats you can do. This is a simple, effective sort of exercise that’s every bit as easy in front of a movie as in the gym.