While it’s okay to cut back on your exercise during the busy holiday season, completely skipping your workouts is a mistake. Not only will you lose the fitness gains you've worked hard for, but exercise can also help lessen holiday stress and tension.

Add 20 minutes to your day

An effective circuit or high-intensity interval workout takes 20 minutes or less. Waking up a few minutes early or delegating some items on your to-do list can open up a window of time that allows you to sneak in a workout.

Never pass up an opportunity to move

Now is the time to recommit to those small things that add activity to your day. Always take the stairs, walk to deliver messages, run errands on foot, and do a set of squats while dinner is in the oven. These easy activities might not seem like much, but the short bursts of movement help refresh your energy and increase calories burned.

Create outdoor holiday traditions

While extreme weather may disrupt outdoor plans, brisk temperatures and even a little snow shouldn't stop you from getting outside. Sign up as a family for a walk or jog in a local Turkey Trot, a Jingle Bell Walk, or a New Year's Eve 5K. Toss a football outside after dinner, have a snowman-building contest, or bundle up and take a walk to enjoy holiday decorations. Planning these activities helps you get a workout without taking time away from friends and family.

Trade mindless activities

Even on the busiest days, it’s easy to lose minutes to mindless activities like surfing the Internet, updating your social media status, or watching television. While mental breaks are necessary, these minutes can add up and reduce the time you could spend exercising. A quick circuit of lunges, push-ups, and crunches will be better for your physical health than 10 unproductive minutes spent on the computer or watching television.

Lori Rice, M.S., is a nutritional scientist and author with a passion for healthy cooking, exercise physiology, and food photography.