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Staying in shape. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Staying in shape is essential for any athlete and a cheerleader is no exception. Throughout most of the year, practices and helpful camps help keep you in great shape, but sometimes the holidays and other breaks can be a bit problematic. You may not have as many practices during holidays and breaks and it’s easy to be tempted by all the great foods that come along with them as well. To help you with fitness maintenance during these times, here are some top tips you can use to ensure you don’t blow your fitness on a break or during a holiday.

Tip #1 – Try Going with Shorter Workouts

During holidays or breaks from cheering, you probably have a lot going on. You may not have a couple hours a day to workout. However, what you can do is try going with shorter workouts each day. Just making sure you work out regularly is important to keeping up your fitness level. Planning short workouts will seem less daunting when you’re already overwhelmed with a packed schedule.

Tip #2 – Eat and Drink the Healthy Way

Eating and drinking the healthy way during breaks and holidays is another important tip that can help you maintain your cheer fitness. During holidays, unhealthy food is all around you, which can quickly sabotage your fitness plans. Make sure you stick to healthy eating and drinking habits. Be sure to get plenty of water each day, which will help quell hunger pangs that can make you tank up on unhealthy foods. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have plenty of healthy snacks around. If you eat healthy most of the time, you can enjoy a bit of indulging at parties and special dinners without hurting your fitness level.

Tip #3 – Find Ways to Add More Activity to Your Day

There are plenty of easy ways to add more activity to your day during breaks and holidays to maintain your fitness. If you’re spending some time doing holiday baking or cooking, use wait time to do a few quick exercises. When you’re watching television, you can make sure you do a few simple exercises during the commercials to get you moving. Get more exercise by parking as far away as possible when you’re grocery shopping or shopping for holiday gifts.

Tip #4 – Choose Exercises that You Can Do Anywhere

Many people end up traveling during breaks and holidays, but this doesn’t mean that you have to give up exercising while you’re traveling. There are plenty of exercises that you can do anywhere with little or no equipment. You can download an exercise app on your iPhone or Smart Phone or you can take an exercise plan with you that allows you to exercise only using your own bodyweight. Certain exercise programs can be done with only a couple exercise bands, which are easy to throw into your luggage when you’re on the road.

Tip #5 – Get Involved in Seasonal Physical Activities

Last, make sure you get involved in seasonal physical activities to burn off calories and keep your fitness levels up, even when you’re not cheering. During winter holidays, you can enjoy skiing, ice skating, going sledding and other activities out in the snow. If you’re on a spring break, enjoy swimming or jogging in the sand on the beach. You can always find great seasonal activities to help keep your cheer fitness up.