Not as many of us commute as we did pre-COVID, but plenty of people still spend part of their day in the car getting to and from work. Unfortunately, sitting in a car for extended periods isn’t doing your body any favors.

For starters, driving keeps you in a cramped, repetitive position that can lead to muscle imbalances, tightness, and even pain. With one foot constantly working the gas and brake while the other remains inactive, you can develop a hip imbalance that needs to be counteracted. And if you spend most of your workday sitting as well, that’s even more time reinforcing poor posture and movement patterns.

On top of that, commuting can be exhausting—both mentally and physically. After a long day, the thought of spending even more time in the car to get to the gym (or summoning the energy to work out once you’re home) can feel like too much. But instead of letting your commute take away from your fitness, you can use it to your advantage.

Move While You Drive

Even while seated, you can engage different muscle groups with simple isometric exercises:

• Core activation: Tighten your abs and draw your belly button toward your spine for 30 seconds. Release slightly for two seconds, then engage fully again for a set of 15.

• Pelvic floor engagement: Contract and relax your pelvic floor muscles in a similar pattern.

• Upper body work: Use your steering wheel as resistance—pull against it at different hand positions to engage your upper back, or press inward to activate your chest, arms, and core.

• Lower body balance: Keep your hips even and focus on activating your left leg so it works as much as your right (without compromising safety, of course!).

These small movements can help counteract some of the negative effects of prolonged sitting without distracting you from the road.

Maximize Your Time

Your commute is also a great opportunity to check things off your to-do list, such as:

• Listening to audiobooks, podcasts, or work-related training.

• Catching up with friends and family hands-free.

• Taking care of calls, with a note to have the other party follow up via text or email so you can handle scheduling later.

Plan for Breaks and Better Choices

If your commute is longer than an hour, plan to stop and move when possible. Even a short walk or a few squats during a gas stop can prevent stiffness and discomfort.

And don’t forget about nutrition—pack healthy, easy-to-eat snacks so you’re not tempted by fast food. Apples, nuts, and dried fruit travel well and keep you fueled without the crash.

Stay Hydrated

Car ventilation systems can be dehydrating, and drinking enough water ensures you’ll need to stop for restroom breaks—giving you another reason to get out and stretch your legs.

Make Your Commute Work for You

Instead of letting time in the car drain you, use it strategically. With a little intention, you can turn your commute into an opportunity to support your health, improve your energy, and arrive at your destination feeling better, not worse.

Every year so many of us look forward to the holidays but at the same time have a underlying sense of dread, knowing how difficult it can be to stay on track with our fitness and nutrition goals amid the all the hustle, bustle and celebrations.  I used to be one of those people, but over the last several years that has changed.  Why?  Not only have I used many of the healthy holiday hacks that I am about to share with you, but the biggest difference has come from the fact that before the holiday season arrives, I’ve gone into it with a realistic plan.

A plan is essential to success because it gives you a roadmap of what to do, not only on a daily basis, but also when the unexpected happens!  My plan this year includes; maintaining my weight and body composition by checking the scale each morning and having an upper limit, if I hit that limit adjusting my behavior accordingly, keeping 1 hr workouts in my routine a minimum of 3 x a week (M,T,Th are my goal days) and a total of at least 30 minutes of activity on 3 other days, keeping my diet clean at home with the exception of actual holiday days where I’ll allow myself to freely indulge, and choosing a maximum of 2 celebratory events a week to attend where I’ll use the tips below!  I encourage you to make your own plan as well!

Hacks to make this year’s holiday season healthy!

1. Going to a family gathering? Offer to bring a side - a healthy one like a green salad, so you know there will be at least something you can fill your plate with that will be good for your body as well as your taste buds!

2. Whether it’s a family gathering, a work party, or whatever the celebration, have a small protein and fiber rich snack prior to leaving for the event. A couple hard boiled eggs, cucumbers and whole grain crackers, low fat cottage cheese or nuts paired with fruit, or even a protein shake will do the trick. This will help to keep you from overindulging at the event.

3. Allow yourself to try some of the sweet and rich choices at the event so you don’t feel like you are missing out, but keep it to a taste. Take a smaller plate and just a few bites of your favorite holiday treats.

4. Alcohol is one of the biggest reasons for both weight gain and energy drain over the holidays, but it is also a part of many social occassions. Drink a glass of water before and between any alcoholic drink and consider alternating days - for every day you go out and indulge, plan and stick to a day where you don’t immediately after.

5. Keep your home stocked with easy to grab, helahy options. The holidays can be a busy time so convenience is a huge factor in our food choices. This may be the time of year to buy the pre-cut veggies so you don’t have the extra prep work to do and can stick to healthy snacking. Buy a rotisserie chicken with each weeks shopping trip so you have easy access to clean protein to top a salad with or a quick oven reheat dinner in a pinch.

6. Try healthy substitutions in your holiday recipes. Add applesauce to sweet potatoes instead of sugar. Add some cauliflower to your potato mash. Need a healthy cookie recipe? Try the one in my last blog post!

7. When meeting friends or family, choose to do it in an active way. Stroll the mall together rather than sitting and having coffee. Bundle up and go on a winter hike. The woods are gorgeous after a fresh snowfall - just make sure that you have proper grippy footwear if you are in that climate. Test your balance and core at an ice skating rink!

8. Traveling? Bring resistance bands with you. They are small and easy to pack and guarantee you can get a workout in whatever the space.

9. Keep stress and tension at bay by prioritizing types of exercise that release tension and help you unwind while at the same time engaging your core. Start each day with just 10 minutes of pilates or yoga and end it with 5 - 10 minutes of foam rolling. It will do wonders for your stress level and get you a guaranteed 15 - 20 minutes of fitness in!

I hoe you can put all these hacks to good use and have a happy, healthy holiday season! If you’re looking for more tips, please reach out to schedule a consult or join my mailing list!

Traveling can be an incredible adventure, but whether you are on your dream vacation or a business trip, either way it can put a snag in your fitness routine. It doesn’t have to though, and in fact, I even suggest having a separate fitness routine just for when you travel so you are prepared and don’t have to figure it all out again with each trip. Here are some tips to help keep you feeling your best on the road:

1. Packable fitness tools are essential so that you aren’t reliant on what you might find at your destination. If your hotel has a gym or a pool that’s a bonus, but if you’ve got your own stuff and know what to do and when, you are more likely to stick to it. The key with what you pack is to keep it small, light and versatile. My favorite pieces to pack: a travel foam roller, long, flat resistance bands in light medium and heavy stregnths, a door anchor so those bands can be used for more exercises and sliding disks. Skip packing the yoga mat unless you have a thin soft foldable and just use an extra hotel towel when you are on the floor.

2. Get in a good core workout right before your trip. Long hours in an airplane or car can wreak havoc on your back & neck, tighten your hip flexors and a whole lot more. Starting off with those deep core and spinal muscles awake and engaged will help minimize the damage. If you are traveling early morning, get your workout in the evening before.

3. Keep moving along the way. Whether you are in a plane, train or automobile, get up and move at least every 2 hours. Walk the length of the plane, do a few toe raises, reverse lunges, side steps or squats. You can also do isolation movements for your abs, upper back and neck while you are seated. Doing those things will help keep you from getting stiff and out of alignment and it also helps prevent the chance of a blood clot developing.

4. Work the kinks out when you arrive. When you get to your destination, before you flop into bed. Take a few minutes to foam roll and stretch, especially your hip flexors, lower back, chest and shoulder. Then lightly engage the opposing muscles, your glutes, abs and upper back with one set of something so you even out before you sleep.

5. While you are on the vacation, make it a point to get at least 10 - 15 minutes of exercise in the mornings before you head out for the day to keep you engaging muscles in the right way all day long. You’ll also know you did something that benefits your body even if the rest of the day does not allow for exercise.