Sidestep the festive slump

Slade is on loop in the shops, the D-list celebrity fairies have visited every town for underwhelming light switch-ons, and erratic present-buying has begun. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Time to get your Christmas on and embrace the mad whirl of socialising, nostalgia, parties, hygge and families that this time of year brings – and the indulgence-fest that comes with it.  If the average Brit consumes 6000 calories on Christmas Day, just think what the eating and drinking across the whole month adds up to. Or don’t, it’s too scary. Let’s just say that it’s going to undo a lot of the hard work you’ve put in over the rest of the year.

Some might call that a natural balance, but the danger is that it’s just too difficult to get going again in January.

So, what to do? Accept that come New Year we are likely to be a comatose mess on the sofa, mumbling something about “resolutions” and “new year, new me”? Or refuse every chocolate, gingerbread latte and mince pie that comes your way? Who has the willpower for that – or would even want to? Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without all the trimmings.

Thankfully, it doesn’t need to be one extreme or the other. Throwing some healthy decisions into the Christmas mix will help you get the best of both worlds.

Of course, it’s tricky when you already feel like you’re at maximum speed, so here are 3 easy ways to get you through the festive season and out the other side of feeling energised and awesome, instead of just another Turkey Burner on a treadmill.

1. Take time out for yourself: Easier said than done, but try to find some time to enjoy the moment during the festive build up so the joy of Christmas isn’t lost in the craziness of all the preparation for the day itself. Find a quiet space, turn off your phone, and tune into what makes Christmas magic for you. It’s even possible to apply this mindfulness to your eating, so that you savour the flavours and smells of Christmas treats and (possibly) avoid have too much of a good thing.

2. Don’t forget your 5 a day! It’s all too easy to fill up on the treats that surround us in December in favour of the healthier choices we might normally make. But this means we miss out on essential vitamins and minerals to keep our immune system topped up just when we need it most. If social events mean you can’t be healthy in many of your meal choices, focus on having your 5 a day – fruit may even satisfy your sweet cravings and help you say no to other temptations!

3. Get moving! Although a power nap may seem more appealing than exercising when you’ve had a late night (or several in a row), just 10 minutes of vigorous exercise will get your blood pumping and boost your energy levels, so you have more to give to your next social commitment. Between 25^th December and 5^th January check out our #12DaysofFitness campaign via Facebook and Twitter, which offers bite-sized exercise chunks to keep you moving and burn off some of those extra calories until you’re back into your proper routine.

If you’re able to fit in a full-on workout, even better; our December membership offer will let you hit the New Year running (perhaps literally) – no resolutions required! Contact your local #ActivePlace for details or the scroller on their homepage.