5 Things To Keep You In Shape Over Christmas

Can you believe it’s nearly Christmas again?

Over Christmas it’s easy to get carried away and fall off the fitness wagon, but here are 5 things that will help you stay on track!

1) 1) Don’t punish yourself emotionally for going a little bit” off the rails”. Remember, fitness is supposed to be fun, otherwise you will be less likely to stick with it. There are certain times of the year that it is ok to let your hair down a little. Getting upset or angry with yourself as a result of enjoying time with friends and family is not good for you! So long as you are conscious of the food and exercise decisions you are making, just accept that there is a time and place to let your guard down and THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES!

2) 2) Don’t punish yourself physically for going a little off the rails. The guilt that sometimes comes with eating that piece of mud-cake or getting that second (or third) serve of turkey with cranberry sauce is often lifted when you make a solid pact with yourself to do a 10km run tomorrow, followed by 100 sit ups and 50 push ups to burn it off! Forget it! Stick with your usual routine. Going extra hard to make up for indulgence is a recipe for disaster and injury!

3) 3) If you are too busy with friends and family, try to do some simple and quick exercises so that you’re not completely missing out. Something is better than nothing! Quick exercise routines can sometimes be EVEN BETTER than a full hour long workout session. You may find that you don’t have a whole hour to spend having a working out, but a quick 15 minute session may be more attainable when you’re busy. Fit it into your day four times, and you’ll find that the cumulative intensity of those four sessions is far greater than the intensity of one session that lasts an hour!

4) 4) Sit down and do a goal setting session BEFORE the silly season sees you off the rails. Once you’ve started the festivities, you may tend to be harder on yourself, so it is a good idea to prepare beforehand and be in control, knowing that you have a plan for success that includes a little festive fun!

5) 5) Try to plan activities that include a little exercise. Rather than going to dinner with friends, make it a picnic at a beautiful spot that requires a little walk to get to! Or organise a game of cricket over a cut lunch. Socialising can be a GREAT way to get your exercise in AND see your friends at the same time!