Tips to Stay Active and Healthy During the Holiday Season
Prioritize Yourself This Season (Without Guilt)
The holidays bring joy, connection, and celebration, but they can also bring stress, busy schedules, and disrupted routines.
If you’ve ever wondered how to stay active during the holidays without burning out, you’re not alone. At Just Move Fitness, a clean, welcoming fitness studio in Pleasant Hill, Oregon, we believe movement should support you, not pressure you.
This season, try reframing movement as energy, stress relief, and emotional well-being, rather than calorie-burning punishment. Movement is one of the most powerful tools for mental health, especially during busy holiday seasons.
In this blog, you’ll find realistic, flexible strategies and tips for Pleasant Hill and Eugene locals to actually stick with, plus festive ways to stay moving, stay active, and feel good—whether you’re commuting from “just 15 minutes from Eugene,” bringing a friend to class, or joining our seasonal events. Let’s make movement feel good again.
Tip #1: Schedule Movement Like a Holiday Appointment
One of the best ways to stay active during the holidays is to schedule movement the same way you schedule parties or dinner. When everything else feels chaotic, planned movement creates structure.
Try choosing 2–3 weekly classes you know you’ll enjoy and putting them directly into your calendar. Treat these sessions as appointments with yourself: non-negotiable, supportive, and grounding. Even small commitments add up when you stay consistent during the holidays.
At Just Move, we make it easier with seasonal fitness classes Pleasant Hill residents love. Our group fitness classes are energizing and easy to commit to. With early morning classes for pre-work movers, lunch-hour options for those who love to move mid-day, and evening sessions for the after-work fitness enthusiasts, you can find something that fits. Our small-town gym with a big heart welcomes all fitness levels, and you’ll always feel supported—not judged.
Whether you’re commuting from near South Eugene or popping in between errands, our fitness schedule for the holiday season gives you plenty of opportunities to stay active, feel good, and protect your well-being.
Tip #2: Join Special Seasonal Classes & Events
Holiday fitness doesn’t have to feel like another obligation—especially when movement is fun, social, and festive.
That’s why our holiday fitness challenge Eugene members love includes special seasonal classes and events designed to bring joy (and sweat!) to your routine.
This year’s lineup at Just Move includes:
Pre-Thanksgiving strength sessions to pump you up before the feast
Gratitude-themed Nia® classes, blending mindfulness, music, and joyful movement
Post-feast mobility and soft-tissue session to help your body reset
These workouts are designed to be:
✔️ Fun and festive
✔️ Perfect for moving with visiting family and friends
✔️ Drop-in friendly or included in your membership
Whether you’re searching for “drop-in holiday fitness classes near me” or want a special way to stay active during holiday travel, these events make it easy. Bring a friend, join a group workout during the holidays in Pleasant Hill, or make it a family tradition. Festive fitness events in the Eugene area don’t get more welcoming (or more fun) than this.
Tip #3: Redefine What "Counts" as a Workout
One of the biggest barriers to staying active this season is the belief that a workout has to be long, intense, or sweaty to “count.” The truth is, low-impact holiday exercise is often the most sustainable during busy or stressful weeks. And, during the holidays, consistency matters more than intensity.
Walking, dancing in the kitchen, stretching before bed, or a 15-minute Just Move app workout, all of these count and support your health.
If you’re traveling or your schedule is unpredictable, try focusing on mindful movement. Eugene locals love our simple, gentle routines you can do anywhere: morning stretching, breath-led mobility, or a short core sequence. These help you slow down, reconnect, and reset your nervous system.
With the Just Move app, you can access at-home workouts or travel-friendly routines that make movement feel doable anywhere, and never stressful.
Remember: Some movement is better than none.
Tip #4: Move with Gratitude, Not Guilt
Despite all the holiday cheer, this time of year can stir up a lot of mixed feelings.
It’s time to let go of pressure and perfectionism. Instead of pushing yourself harder, try shifting the focus to gratitude. Move because it makes you feel good, not because you “should.” Focus on how movement makes you feel, not just what it “burns”.
Movement for mental health during the holidays can be grounding, mood-lifting, and deeply supportive. Nia® classes or other joyful movement classes can promote emotional release and mental clarity. This time of year, your body will be especially grateful because your body benefits most when you move from a place of kindness, not punishment.
If you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or scattered, try one of our stress relief workouts for the holiday season or book a holiday massage in Pleasant Hill. Massage therapy is an incredible tool for self-care during this busy season.
Let movement be something that brings you back home to yourself.
Tip #5: Bring a Friend for Built-In Accountability
Nothing boosts motivation like moving with someone you care about.
A workout with a friend in Pleasant Hill naturally adds motivation, fun, and accountability—three things that are extra meaningful during the holidays.
Invite a family member who’s visiting, ask a neighbor to join you, or pair up with one of your regular fitness accountability partners in Eugene. Moving together can turn into a new seasonal tradition, and it makes showing up so much easier.
At Just Move, our community vibe is warm, friendly, and non-intimidating. You’ll meet people of all ages and fitness levels, all committed to feeling better, not performing or competing. Whether you're joining group workouts during the holidays or trying a new seasonal class together, you’re never alone here.
Bring a friend, share a laugh, and discover how much more fun movement becomes when it’s shared.
Choose Movement That Supports You This Season
The holidays don’t have to derail your routine—or become an “all or nothing” season. Movement can be joyful, flexible, and supportive, especially when you choose what feels good for your body and your life.
At our Pleasant Hill gym this holiday season, we’re here to help you stay active in a way that supports your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Check out our festive events, join a class, bring a friend, or book a massage.
This season, choose movement that helps you feel good—inside and out.
