Keeping fit over Christmas is tough. The cold, dark, icy weather, the unhealthy foods and the regular flow of alcohol can all put a rapid halt to your fitness regime. However, you can make sure that the festive period does not completely derail your fitness efforts by following the 4 Christmas fitness tips in this article.
1) DO SOME EXERCISE:- With all the additional Christmas commitments eating up your time and the festive weather not providing the best conditions for exercise, you often find that your activity levels drop during this time. However, if you are willing to get a little creative you can make sure your activity levels do not grind to a halt this Christmas. For example, whilst the weather is not conducive to traditional forms of exercise it does make alternative winter exercises (such as ice skating or sledding) possible. Exercise DVDs and Wii fit are also great, time efficient indoor exercises that you can take advantage of if it gets too cold outside.
2) EAT SOME HEALTHY FOODS:- Healthy foods are in short supply over the festive period and often make way for less healthy treats such as Christmas pudding and mince pies. However, there are ways to avoid Christmas becoming a complete dietary write off. Try starting the day with a healthy winter breakfast of eggs, natural yoghurt or fruit. When it comes to snacking do not always reach for the mince pies. Instead try some smart snacks such as dried fruits and nuts. When preparing a Christmas dinner try to ensure there are some healthy options available such as healthy homemade soup, a wide selection of vegetables or a healthy fruit salad.
3) GET SOME SLEEP:- Sleep is key for good health. It helps you concentrate during the day, improves your memory and supports proper growth. However, getting adequate amounts of sleep over the festive period is difficult. The numerous Christmas parties and other family commitments often cause the amount of sleep you get to be compromised. So to make up for this try to get a few hours extra sleep when you have some free time. Perhaps, you have a free afternoon where you can fit in a quick nap? Maybe you have a quiet evening where you can get to sleep a couple of hours earlier than usual.
4) MAINTAIN A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE:- Mental health is just as important as physical health. The winter weather can bring with it an unpleasant mental state called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a type of depression caused by the low sunlight levels during the winter months which affects approximately 7% of the UK population. Fortunately, SAD is treatable and there are numerous other things you can do to boost your mood during the festive period. If you think you are suffering from SAD then purchase a light box and use it 2 to 3 hours each day. Combine that with some mood boosting foods (such as dark chocolate, nuts and tea) and you should be able to navigate the entire festive period with a smile on your face.
SUMMARY
As I said at the beginning of this article keeping fit over Christmas is tough and in most cases the cold weather, the Christmas treats and the extra alcohol will have some kind of impact. However, if you follow the advice in this article you can minimise the impact of these festive temptations on your fitness levels.
Tom Parker owns Free Fitness Tips - a fantastic source of free, impartial fitness advice. You can get more Christmas Fitness Tips and get some Christmas shopping ideas with these Christmas Fitness Gifts by visiting his website.
0 comments:
Enregistrer un commentaire