The festive season is crazy busy, getting to the gym can be trickier, and skipping workouts might start to become the norm. Instead of feeling bad about things, why not run with it! You have to get Christmas gifts, why not multitask and get in your workout at the same time!

1: Plan where you park

If you have an idea for a gift, and you know where to find it, park your car at the opposite end of the shopping centre. You can check out what is in the windows of shops that you pass, you might get some gift ideas, plus you get in a bit of cardio both walking there plus coming back!

2: Push a trolley

If you have to get your groceries, walk around pushing a trolley for a while afterwards while you browse for presents, pushing against a resistance (a full trolley) burns extra calories, plus you only need to make one trip back to the car.

3: Beat the rush

If you don’t want to fight for a parking space and deal with large crowds, rather than waiting until the stores open, why not get there half an hour early, get a park right at the front, and walk laps around the stores until they open.

Not only will a morning walk help you think more clearly and make better decisions (like great gifts choices) but you’ll be in and out with everything you need while everyone else is fighting traffic and stalking pedestrians hoping to snag their parking space.

4: Ditch the trolley

Another way to burn more calories is to make frequent trips back to your car after you have bought gifts, instead of pushing a trolley. When the bags in your hands become more than you can carry, go unload them and then come back.

Extra steps, easier on your back, and you can negotiate your way through the crowds easier.

5: Think outside the box

Instead of going to a major shopping centre, why not go visit some boutique stores that are near a great walking track so you can grab unique presents and then take advantage of the location to get moving outdoors.

Rather than ordering gifts online and never leaving the couch, head to your local markets and see what gems you can find as you wander.

Ride your bike to the shopping centre and don’t waste a minute searching for a parking space.

One last trick- go the the shops, but only window shop, get gift ideas, take your time seeing what is out there and then scoot home and order online- you might find this is a lot more friendly on your Christmas budget!