By: Morgan English

The holidays are here, there’s no avoiding it now. The to-do lists are a bit longer, the days are shorter, and the stress is higher than normal. That means it’s time to exercise and ease the mind. Here are two quick and easy workouts that anyone can squeeze into their day, even during the holidays. All you need is about ten minutes and a little bit of room to move your body.

I like to alternate these workouts, doing yoga two times a week and jumping once a week. Listen to your body and follow what it needs, whether that’s cardio focused or more restorative yoga.

For the adrenaline junkie:

Let’s jump! That’s right, jump. This set is inspired by my favorite Portland-based fitness class, backbody project. Jumping gets the heart rate up quickly and boosts your mood at the same time. It’s an exercise that helps you strengthen your weaker muscles without even knowing it. Blast some of your favorite music, ideally songs that have a hard beat, and jump your heart out!

• Small jump steady jump, arm twists side to side

• Mountain climbers (20x per leg)

• Jump squats (jump – jump – squat)

• Donkey kicks (20x per leg)

• Jump and high knees (alternating your right arm to left knee then left arm to right knee)

Bonus!!: Check out this Playlist for some high energy tunes to get you through this workout!

For the sensitive soul:

Let your body flow and find its strength in the quiet. Follow this quick and easy yoga flow to keep yourself feeling restored and ready for the day. This is a great set for you to start the day with or unwind before bed.

• Cat cows (45 to 60 seconds)

• Move your body in a figure 8 for a few rotations

• Lean back into child’s pose

• Lift into downward dog

• Raise one leg straight up, bring into your chest, straighten leg (repeat 25x each leg)

• Downward dog to upward dog

• Lean back into child’s pose

Bonus!!: Check out this ChillAF Playlist to help you relax and get grounded.

Moving your body truly is a wonderful way to combat the stress that the holidays bring on, and so is fueling your body with better ingredients. Making better food choices for my body during the holidays is, and always will be my biggest challenge. This CBD banana date smoothie has become my winter staple and has been quite the game changer for me.

Whether you’re looking for a smoothie to get you going in the morning or something to curb those late night sugar cravings, this smoothie is honestly for you. For those early rising go-getters, I recommend trying to this smoothie with a shot (or two) of espresso in it. The espresso blends in beautifully with the flavors of the banana and almond butter. And what’s better than a smoothie with coffee in it? Especially during the holidays when you’re running on empty!

And for anyone with a serious sweet tooth trying to avoid late night holiday treats, this smoothie is also for you. Blend this up after dinner, set in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes, and enjoy. It’s like a milkshake, but without the bad stuff.

CBD Banana Date Smoothie

• 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk

• 1 ripe banana

• 1 frozen banana

• 2 tablespoons unsalted almond butter

• 4 to 5 pitted dates

• ¼ cup of ice

• 1 to 2 droppers full of BARE CBD

• Optional: an espresso shot  

Add all ingredients into a blender, blend until smooth, and enjoy.

I hope these workouts and CBD smoothie help keep you balanced and bright throughout the holidays!