So I run a gym and I’m telling you how to get by without crossing my door! I’m mad, but ya know what I’m also realistic and realistically we all know that in December the last thing on your mind is to hit the gym. It can actually be the perfect time to train for those who like the peace and quiet.
I get it, you’re either doing extra hours in work, or running between parent teacher meetings, school concerts, ballet recitals and the panto oh and trying to fit in time to see the in laws before your MIL gives out that she can’t remember what your child looks like. And the shopping. Jaysus the shopping. Not to forget the amount of bugs and colds you’ve picked up from either your kids or your work colleagues! Pass the tissues, there are no more!
And we’re supposed to be enjoying this?! This constant running around here there and everywhere, it’s supposed to be a holiday, aren’t holidays relaxing? Not in your house.
It’s important to remind yourself that you can’t be going around looking after everyone if you can’t take care of yourself and it’s never selfish to give yourself a bit of you time. Exercise is an excellent medium for clearing the head and escaping the world for an hour. But you’re up to your eyes in glitter and snot, and you still can’t fit into that dress… and the tin of Celebrations is sat on the table looking at you saying if you don’t open it then Justin Bieber will write another song.
- Eat whatever the F you want on Christmas Day and enjoy it. But if you are watching your waistline, especially in the run up to Christmas, respect your portion sizes. That’s all.
- And I don’t mean starve yourself either. Being so busy heightens our stress hormone and reduces our appetite hormone so the minute we sit down to relax we’re starving and thus likely to eat everything in sight. So don’t forget to snack even and have your bottle of water handy so that when you do sit down, you do have the energy to cook something wholesome.
- If you cook for two, cook for four and freeze the two extra meals so you can grab and zap them on those days when you’re wrecked. Trust me, if you know the option is there and you are being mindful you’re more likely to go to the freezer than reach for the takeaway menu.
- If you’re out shopping, carry bags in both hands. This will keep you balanced while you walk and if the bags are a little heavy (which they probably will) that will use more energy. Put a bit of a spring in your step for a mini workout. (Note: Be aware of your surroundings, women are quite vulnerable to attack in a car park when they have their hands full)
- Can’t sleep? Write down the things you need to do for the next day and place it nearby so you’ll be organised in the morning. We don’t sleep well usually because of stress, so after you do that list, zone out completely, read a bit of a book or a magazine and get off Facebook cause those wans drive ya mad anyway!
- Listen to your body and stop eating when you’re full. Save the leftovers, if you get hungry again later that’s fine, eat again, but this time of year the plates tend to be pilled high. It’s not a competition to see who can stuff their faces more, despite what the man in the room might think.
- I love a drink, but remember alcohol and drinks are basically empty calories. If you have specific dates where you’d be out drinking, go out and enjoy but again if you’re watching your waistline, don’t drink at home for no reason.
- And if you do go out and are like me and quite peckish at the end of the night, go home and have soup… I swear by this one – it works and you don’t stink of grease the next day.
- DANCE! I don’t care if you have two left feet, if you’re on a work night out and you do not dance then your colleagues are dry shites! Any movement is better than no movement and I’m sorry but bicep curling your pint doesn’t exactly count.
- Enough is enough. Those tins of sweets are just the devil aren’t they? Well pick out a few and then PUT IT AWAY. If it’s sat open if front of you-you just know it’ll be gone and you’ll have to go out and get more cause your MIL only likes the Strawberry Cremes and you just devoured them all in one scoff!
If time is your enemy, excuse or reason why you’ve given up exercise or don’t in the first place then you need to look at how many hours per day you spend looking at your phone or watching TV. While I hope these tips will help you, ultimately I’m going to say even if you take a week off exercise you notice the difference, two weeks and you’re basically back to square one. So if you can somewhere spare that time for YOURSELF in the run-up to the holidays then do that and get moving.