Florida: Our Most Popular Workout Requires No Equipment

These days, there are so many different activities and techniques that are considered exercise. That is a good thing, as people continue to look for ways to stay healthy. BarBend recently detailed the most popular workout in every state, and in Florida, it's an exercise that requires just a mat.

Over the pandemic years, working out at home became increasingly popular. Furthermore, it required people to get creative with their regimens. Of course, there was the traditional Peloton ride. Not everyone has a Peloton though. Box jumps onto the couch, push-ups, and jumping rope in the driveway also became common practice.

In order to determine which workout is the most popular in every state, BarBend "analyzed more than 6,000 Google search terms relating to exercise and fitness over the past 24 months to determine the most popular type of workout in every state and major U.S. city." In addition, over 1,000 Americans were surveyed. As a result, they found these ten workouts to be the most common categories:

Jazzercise and Barre were also considered but did not rank in the top 10 favorite exercises in America.

Based off the survey information and Google search volume, yoga is the most popular workout in Florida.  Only Iowa, Montana, Washington, and New Hampshire shared the love of the exercise mat, having also landed on yoga. Overall, yoga was the seventh most popular workout in the country. Weight lifting, HIIT, and running were the top three.

Where this gets even more interesting is taking a detailed look at the favorite workouts across major U.S. cities. BarBend reported that Tampa also aligned to yoga being the most popular. However, in Miami and Orlando, the results were different. Those cities preferred Pilates and CrossFit, respectively. Finally, BarBend found that "overall health benefits" were the main reason that people exercise.

Christmas is a time to visit family and friends and get away from the daily grind. The holidays can be a wonderful time, but they can also be very expensive. From buying lots of Christmas gifts for family and friends to having to pay for plane tickets and travel, holiday expenses can really add up. But, the good news is that there are some affordable holiday vacations, and Florida has one of America's cheapest Christmas vacations.

One good thing about traveling during the winter months is that it's often the off-season for popular vacation destinations. Of course, the holidays are a busy travel time. That makes late December a difficult time to find a deal for travel. But, if you don't mind the cold and snow, some northern areas of the U.S. offer very good deals. That's true even during the Christmas season.

Some tips for finding a good deal for holiday vacationing include searching a lot of booking websites, comparing different hotel dates to find the most reasonable ones and finding bundle deals. Also, keep your eyes open for special deals on resorts and hotels that are just opening. That's because sometimes, during those opening months, new vacation spots try to attract a loyal clientele by offering special deals. One more tip is to search for airfare rates individually even if you are traveling as a couple or a group. If you put in a search for a group of tickets, the algorithms will often leave out information on one or two cheaper tickets being available. They'll just send you a group of tickets, sitting together, all at the same price. So, you might get a deal if you search for one ticket, instead.

So, what are the best affordable Christmas vacations in the U.S.? Here are some popular spots that won't break the bank.

Frankenmuth, Michigan, is the self-proclaimed Christmas capital city of the world. Okay, so many argue that Strasbourg, France, takes that honor, but Frankenmuth is close, and it's a lot cheaper to get there. No passport needed. The villiage's Franconian-style architecture has given it the loving name "Little Bavaria." Frankenmuth is also home to the world's biggest Christmas store.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is located in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and it offers a beautiful view of snowy hills and Amish country. It's a very old-fashioned type of town, making it a charming winter getaway. There are plenty of fun, holiday-type things to do in Lancaster that won't break the bank.

You might never guess, but Las Vegas, Nevada, is a great spot for an affordable holiday trip. Think about it. Most people wouldn't think to go to "Sin City" for Christmas. Of course, it's much less the "sin" part these days, as Las Vegas offers fun activities for the whole family.

Charlotte, North Carolina, is a great spot to visit in the holiday season, because it's not as crowded as other times during the year. It's also less expensive to visit during the holidays and offers beautiful decorations during Christmas. Don't forget the many holiday markets.

Fort Myers, Florida, is a popular destination for snow birds. But, that's doesn't mean to skip it during the holidays. If you want to get away from the snow and ice, Fort Myers offers a great escape over Christmas and for prices that are more reasonable than in many other areas of Florida.

Boston, Massachusetts, gets cold in the winter, but it also has that classic Christmas charm. It's a big city with a smaller city feel during the holidays. What's more, it's a more affordable winter vacation destination than many other areas, and you won't have the fight the crowds.