Martial Arts Fitness - The Perfect Way to Stay in Shape During the Holidays

Martial Arts Fitness - The Perfect Way to Stay in Shape During the Holidays
written by: Sandra LaRosa

It is again that time of the year when we easily forget our daily responsibilities and get into the mood of a holiday. Holidays are the time you get to relax the most and take a break. Each Christmas and Thanksgiving comes with a few days of relief from the stress and hurry of our busy days. Ironically, statistics point out that each holiday has adverse effects on health and fitness. Holiday weight gain is not something to be dismissed lightly.
Why Fear Holiday Weight Gain?
Traditional studies show how November and December adds around 5 to 7 pounds to a person’s weight.

The average holiday weight gain is 5-7 pounds for people with normal weight, but a person has trouble with losing the weight gained, causing a constant increase in weight every year
Though 5-7 is the average, persons with overweight or obesity can gain much more
Students showed a weight gain from half a pound to two pounds in just two weeks during Thanksgiving

The fact that it is difficult to lose the weight gained during holidays, this is why you must take it seriously. Why does this happen?

Unhealthy Diet Habits and Holidays
We usually don’t bother to stick to our regular diet during holidays. Celebration time comes with high calorie food - lots of chocolates, fast foods and sugar. This has a lot of negative impact, especially if you are a person who sticks to a regular diet pattern. The human body always keeps a balanced store of fat, called the set point. When you are on a diet, your body will grow accustomed to it, and create energy from the little fat available. When you switch to fatty food all of a sudden, naturally your body will store the excess fat for the future, leading to health problems.

No Workout = Weight Gain
Yet another reason for the holiday weight gain is breaking the regular workout pattern. Taking breaks from workouts is unhealthier than stopping the workout altogether. Each time you take a break from working out, your body tends to gain weight faster. Even though you restart working out after the holiday, it becomes harder and harder to lose the extra pounds you've gained.

Staying in Shape with Martial Arts at Bruce McCorry’s
With friends, family, shopping, planning and celebrating, the last thing you want to do on a holiday is workout. But what if you take up something enjoyable like martial arts? Martial arts are not just fun, but lighter and more effective compared to most workouts. Martial arts can burn calories effectively at a very fast pace. The result is a toned and fit body. Fitness, health, stress-relief, self-confidence and self-defense are only some of the benefits of martial arts. It is always better to prevent weight gain than working hard to lose the pounds that you virtually cannot lose. Martial arts fitness is your way out.

At Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts (Peabody, MA) you can choose from more than 10 different martial arts that will help you to stay in shape even during the holidays. Taking up martial arts is not just something to prevent weight gain during the holidays. It can be your fitness mantra all year long. Choose martial arts for a healthier, happier holiday season…