Make the Most of Holiday Shopping: Busy Woman’s Guide to an Active Lifestyle

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Worried about extra pounds from holiday treats? Why not let your Holiday Shopping work for you?!

Let the mall do the work with these great tips from fitness expert for Lady Foot Locker, Cathy Lang. (You can use them all season long!)

Park as far away from the mall as possible.Who enjoys driving around in circles looking for a place to park? Occupy one of those empty spaces in the back of the parking lot and easily add 1/2 a mile walk or more going to and from your car.

Buy the heaviest items first. Rather than saving the trip to the computer or appliance store for the end of your shopping day, grab that laptop or smoothie maker first. You could end up carrying 5-10 lbs of items and that will pump up the calories you burn as well as your arms.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator while holiday shopping.Walking up a set of stairs can burn 5 to 10 calories, depending on your weight and the number of stairs. Going down stairs typically expends one-third as much energy. Concentrate on driving through your front leg and lift through your glute to simulate lunges.

Choose your shoes wisely. You wouldn’t power walk in your stilettos so why would you do the Mall Haul in them?!? Choose an athletic shoe that is comfortable for your foot. Toning footwear like Reebok’s EasyTone and Skechers’ Shape Ups, can transform the mall into a personal gym. Burn calories, and tone your glutes and thighs while you shop. Have an associate measure your size and maybe even consider one of the popular shoes that destabilizes you and fires up the toning factor in your lower body. If you are using your time at the mall to reach a 10,000 step/day goal, get the gear to do it right.

Apply any or all of these tips to the rest of the year.

Remember, Santa Claus didn’t get as big as he is just by overeating during the holidays!

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.