Top tips for keeping fit and healthy over the festive period
Keeping fit and healthy over Christmas and New Year can be difficult; the cold weather and dark evenings, the rich foods and flow of alcohol can all hinder your motivation to head to the gym. However, you can make sure that the festive period does not completely spoil your fitness efforts by following the some of these easy fitness tips:
Look after your immune system
Two particular health conditions that develop in winter are the common cold and the flu. Whilst the common cold is a relatively mild condition which may make you feel slightly unwell, the flu is a much more serious condition which will often make you unable to leave your bed for a few days. Though currently there is no cure for these infections, you can make your body well equipped to fight them by eating some immune system boosting foods like fruit and vegetables to ensure you are consuming sufficient amounts of vitamin C and D.
Make healthy food choices
Healthy foods can be hard to find over the festive period and often make way for less healthy treats. However, there are ways to avoid Christmas becoming a complete dietary write-off. Try starting the day with a hearty winter breakfast of porridge and fruit. For snacks, don’t reach for the mince pies; instead try some healthier snacks such as raisins and nuts.
On Christmas Day try to add a healthy kick to Christmas dinner. As a starter try serving up a homemade vegetable soup instead of pâté and for the main course pile up on the vegetables. For dessert why not make a wintry fruit salad over Christmas pudding! By all means enjoy a few Christmas drinks over but try and moderate your alcohol intake to one or two glasses.
Fit in some light exercise
When it comes to Christmas, exercise often becomes a lower priority. Try to fit in some regular moderate exercise though, especially during the daylight, to help release essential endorphins that help keep the winter blues at bay. There is no need for a strenuous gym session or 10 mile run; a brisk walk or jog for 20 minutes will pick up your heart rate and help keep your metabolism going.
If you’re lucky to have some snow, sledding, snowball fights and ice skating are great ways to burn off the extra calories!
Don’t forget the importance of sleep
We all know that a good night’s sleep is an important aspect of good health. Sleep is also vital part of our bodies’ defence against illness. However, in the run up to Christmas it is much more difficult to get sufficient amounts of sleep. Free time is often taken up by Christmas parties, shopping and family commitments. As a result of busy evenings sleep will often be compromised. Ensure you do get enough sleep during the festive period by trying to get a couple of extra hours sleep on the evenings when you do have some free time- this is an excellent way to compensate for the busy days when your sleep is sacrificed!
Get back on track in the New Year!
New Year’s resolutions very often involve strict fitness plans and dieting, which come two months in have fallen by the wayside. Try keeping your resolutions by introducing gradual changes, rather than pushing yourself to head to the gym every morning!
Another great motivator is to book activity holidays for summer; it will give you a goal to work towards looking good on the beach and whilst there you can get plenty of exercise alongside relaxing on the sun lounger!
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