With a plethora of Christmas cookies around, maybe it’s time to kick your heart rate up this holiday season.
On average, Americans tend to gain about 1 to 2 pounds from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. While that might seem minor, studies indicate that this weight often sticks around and can gradually increase.
But you can actually start getting a jump on this now, rather than waiting until January. Experts have pinpointed some Christmas songs that have the ‘perfect’ beats for workouts, making them more enjoyable and, let’s be honest, a bit more festive.
“During the holidays, staying consistent with fitness can be incredibly challenging. Family gatherings, travel, and the stress of the season often make it tough to stick to health goals,” says Adam Gilbert, the founder of My Body Tutor, an online weight loss and health coaching program. “Music can be a game changer; it has the potential to enhance your workout experience and make it feel less strenuous.”
A recent study found that moderate-intensity exercise performed to tracks with tempos between 120 and 140 beats per minute can lift your spirits and make aerobic activities more enjoyable. On the flip side, faster songs, about 130 BPM or more, have been linked to longer workout durations, even at increased heart rates.
Based on this information, MyBodyTutor reviewed 500 of the most popular holiday songs on Spotify and came up with a list of the top 10 Christmas tracks that hit the 120-150 BPM range—considered ideal for moderate to high-intensity workouts like cardio and strength training.
Leading the pack is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” at 150 BPM, reinforcing her title as the “Queen of Christmas.”
Following closely are classics such as Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad,” Frank Sinatra’s “Jingle Bells,” and Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” with BPMs of 149, 148, and 146, respectively.
A jazzy version of Michael Bublé’s “Jingle Bells” lands in fifth place, while August Burns Red’s “Christmas Time Is Here” sits at sixth with a tempo of 143 BPM.
Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” ranks seventh at 141 BPM, and Bruce Springsteen’s “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” and Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” follow, both at 141 BPM and 138 BPM.
Finally, Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe” wraps up the top 10 with a BPM of 128.
While these songs are among the best for overall workouts, MyBodyTutor took it a step further by categorizing them based on exercise type.
If you’re looking for something more intense, Ariana Grande’s “Last Christmas” and Shakin’ Stevens’ “Merry Christmas Everybody” are perfect for high-intensity interval training, coming in at 206 BPM and 203 BPM, respectively.
Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is third on the list, followed by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters’ “Mele Kalikimaka” and Grande’s “Santa Tell Me,” at BPMs of 203 and 192.
In contrast, slower holiday ballads work well for lighter workouts, like yoga or cooldowns. At the top of this list is Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree” at 95 BPM, followed by Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” at 88 BPM.
Pentatonix’s “O Holy Night” and “The First Noel” follow closely at 85 and 84 BPM, while Sinatra’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” rounds it out at 76 BPM.
“In a time when motivation can be at an all-time low, leveraging any tool to support healthy habits is valuable,” Gilbert notes. “If a well-timed Christmas playlist drives you to work out, then it’s definitely worth it.”
