Fit Tip: Halloween Workout

Posted On Oct 1, 2020 By Amy Kiser Schemper

A woman with her child carrying a pumpkin

If you’re like me, you consider October 1st the official start to the holiday season. Cool, crisp weather and falling leaves inspire me to start planning Halloween costumes, decide what new recipe to make for Thanksgiving, and make Christmas travel plans.

Not everyone gets as excited as I do about holidays, but most of us do find that the busy holiday season takes our schedules, our workouts, and our healthy eating off track. This gives us some additional stress as we try to dodge the dreaded “Holiday Weight Gain.” However, on average, people only gain 1-2 pounds from Thanksgiving to Christmas. But it’s so hard to tune out the social media images telling us how many burpees it will take to burn off that mini candy bar from your kid’s Halloween stash, or offering Black Friday workouts to “undo the Thanksgiving damage.”

It’s so important to remember that eating isn’t the enemy and workouts aren’t the punishment! Holidays are meant to be enjoyed, decadent food and all – and so are your workouts! Plan ahead for exercise, even with the big events weeks and months away, and get family involved, too. And when plans change just get moving when you can, how you can, for both your mental health as well as your physical health.

A family doing push ups outside

Here are a few tips for your body and brain to keep your holidays fun, active and most importantly, stress free!

Eat the Halloween candy. And the Thanksgiving leftovers. And the Christmas dessert. Yep, I said it. In moderation, of course, but too often we try to completely avoid treats or feel guilt over overindulging at a holiday meal, and that only works against us. Knowing something isn’t “off limits” actually makes moderation easier.

Maintain a workout schedule. While it may be impossible to keep the same workout routine with the busyness of the holidays, make a plan to keep a schedule in some way. Maybe it’s aiming for quick 10-minute workouts each day. Maybe it’s picking three full days to get longer workouts. Maybe it’s shifting your definition of “workout” to include trick or treating around the block or the family flag football game. Make the goal to move, and don’t worry so much what that movement looks like.

Think of movement as meditation. Reminder, again: holidays can be stressful. Try not to think of exercise as something you have to do, but rather something you get to do.

Have fun with a holiday themed workout! This is a great way to get the whole family involved. Try my Halloween Themed Workout below, and check out my 12 Days Of Christmas Workout in December.

Halloween Workout!

Do each for 45 Seconds, followed by 15 seconds rest, then repeat!

  • Witches Brew Squat
  • Spider Plank
  • Zombie Lunge
  • Pumpkin Swing
  • Skull Crusher
  • Monster Crawl