Transcript: Stop Using Holidays as Workout Excuses: Why I Exercise on Christmas & Thanksgiving
Full transcript for this episode of More Movement Please. For Donato’s structured summary, questions, quotes, and listening profile, go back to the episode page.
4 chapters — tap to expand the full text
Ashley introduces the episode and describes how she used to use every holiday — Thanksgiving, Christmas, her birthday — as an excuse to skip working out.
What's up, you guys? Famous Ashley Grant here. Welcome to More Movement, Please, the podcast where I hope to inspire you to move your body more by sharing my story and occasionally the stories of others. Let's get into it. So today I want to talk about the holidays. And specifically today, I'm talking about Christmas, today's Christmas Eve and tomorrow's Christmas Day. And the old Ashley used to be the type of person that would use every single excuse possible to not work out. whether it was 4th of July or Thanksgiving or Christmas or even my birthday or whatever, I would use every single excuse I could think of to give myself permission to not work out.
And so much has changed in the last 160 something days for me. I mean, I'm... I worked out on Thanksgiving. I went online and I found a Tabata class and a stretch class. And I actually worked out on Thanksgiving and it felt so good to keep my routine going, even though it was a holiday. And, you know, today's Christmas Eve and tomorrow I will be going to work out. I'm kind of excited about it because I'm going to work out with some friends.
Ashley shares that she found a Tabata and stretch class online and worked out on Thanksgiving, and has plans to do an outdoor workout with friends on Christmas Day and a hike or walk on Christmas Eve.
We're going to do an outdoor workout and we were just going to get together and sweat and. you know, earn our pie, as I've been saying all week. And I'm really excited about it because it's one more day that I'm proving to myself that I am committed. It is one more day that I am truly standing by this promise I made to myself that I was going to move my body every day that I possibly could. Even today, I'm going to be moving my body and I'm so stoked about it. I currently have a plan to... go hiking and if it's not a hike I'll at least be going on some sort of a walk and I will be doing a stretch class as well and so the whole point of this episode is that I want to encourage you that if you are using excuses like I used to how about instead use excuses to work out so if today is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or Thanksgiving or your birthday or whatever whatever day it is that you're listening to this If you don't
have a workout on your calendar, go ahead and add one. And if you don't subscribe to a calendar, just make a plan that you're going to work out every single day that you possibly can. And I have to tell you, when you start really committing to working out and moving your body every day, it... it's truly life changing. Like that's not an exaggeration. It has completely changed my life. I can't even explain to you how much more energy I have, how much happier I am, how more focused I am. And it's just, it's one of those things that is so simple, but it, it just really feels like my body is in, is getting into good shape. It feels like. I'm stronger mentally, physically, emotionally, hell, even spiritually.
Ashley reflects on 160-plus days of consistent movement and describes feeling more energetic, happier, more focused, and stronger mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I'm feeling better every single time I double down on my commitment to work out. And so I just want to encourage you, give this gift to yourself. Give this gift of movement to yourself. Don't let the holidays be the reason you don't work out. And if you have family commitments or you have things that you have to do, It doesn't mean you have to go to the gym, right? You don't have to make a point to physically leave and go work out. Just because you're not going to the gym doesn't mean you can't move your body. And I've shared in other episodes all the different ways that you can move your body. I've shared different.
Ashley encourages listeners to move their bodies on holidays without needing a gym, weights, or special equipment, and closes with a direct challenge: have you worked out today?
you know, YouTube playlists and things like that. There's always something you can do to move your body. It doesn't require weights. It doesn't require special equipment. It doesn't require a mat. It doesn't require anything but your commitment to yourself that you are going to move your body. So this Christmas, what I want for Christmas is for more people to move their bodies. And so if you're listening to this and you have not worked out today, do yourself a favor. Work out.
Do something that moves your body. You will feel better for it. Your body will be grateful for it. And yeah, you might be sore as you get started with this, but I promise you the rewards far outweigh any of the cons that you're going to feel. So I just, I really want to encourage you. Onwards and upwards, my friends. Have you worked out today?