It’s that time of year again. Cookies, pies, and candy are everywhere you look; sugary coffee drinks and cocktails abound; holiday shopping leads to mall snacking; there are rich holiday meals; and to top it all off, many people find the holidays exceptionally stressful. If you find it challenging to maintain balance during the holidays, you’re not alone! 

According to Harvard neuroscience newsletter On The Brain, it’s more common than not to experience higher stress levels during the holidays. With busy schedules and rich foods all around, many folks feel like they’ve fallen off the wellness wagon by the time New Year’s rolls around. 

Wondering how to balance fun with fitness and self care this holiday season? We’ve got the answer: Just strap on some roller skates and get moving! 

3 Reasons to Roller Skate for Wellness

Roller skating has too many benefits to list here, but these are some of the best reasons to skate during the holidays. 

Roller skating relieves stress. 

Roller skating and other forms of exercise are scientifically proven to reduce stress. While it’s easy to put your fitness routine on the back burner during the holidays, making time to get your heart rate up and move your body will pay off with reduced stress levels. We have public skating sessions Thursday through Sunday (not including select holidays), so take a break from the holiday hustle and bustle and join us!

Roller skating is a good way to burn off holiday calories.

One of the biggest traps people fall into during the holidays is thinking that they’ve “blown it” by simply enjoying some treats. Just because you ate an extra cookie doesn’t mean you might as well finish off the whole plate, and just because you chose a party over the gym doesn’t mean you should just resign yourself to the couch until New Year’s Day. Instead, think in terms of balance. Enjoy those holiday treats, but also make time for fun, active pursuits like roller skating!

Skating is an excellent aerobic activity, meaning it’s good for your heart, and you can actually burn a surprising number of calories during an hour of roller skating—over 500 on average. Add to that the fact that roller skating strengthens core and lower-body muscle groups, maintaining muscle that is key to sustaining metabolism. 

Roller skating is fun for the whole family. 

With free time in short supply during the holidays, it’s not only challenging to hit the gym, but also to spend quality time with your friends and family. Consider meeting up with friends at the skating rink to multi-task when you need some time away from family. You can catch up and get some exercise all at the same time! Got family visiting from out of town? Don’t just sit on the couch watching the same Christmas movies as last year; gather everyone up and go skating to let the kids burn off some energy and the adults reminisce about their youthful skating rink shenanigans.