Tips On Staying Active This Christmas
Christmas can be a difficult time to navigate when it comes to exercise. Even if fitness is important to you, it can sometimes be difficult to pry yourself away from the paté, put down the glass of red and get outside into the elements. Worry not, your friends at PhysioCare are at hand to provide you with our top tips:
- Get your family/friends involved. It’s a rare occasion that both your family and friends are all off work at the same time, so instead of meeting for a drink, meet up and go for a walk around the local park or soak up the festive lights around town.
- Stay hydrated. Excesses of salty foods, alcohol and central heating can all lead to dehydration. Dehydration can lead us to feel hungry when we’re not, so make sure you are drinking plenty of water between meals.
- If you are a gym goer, try and schedule a workout or book yourself in for a class. You’re more likely to maintain your motivation if you plan ahead. Better yet, encourage a friend to come with you so you can motivate each other.
- If gym isn’t your thing, then think about getting out for a hike. No matter where you live in Ireland and no matter what the weather, we are blessed with a beautiful countryside- so get the waterproofs and wellys on and soak up that greenery!
- Starting the day off with a good breakfast will curb the inclination to snack on the not-so-healthy treats. Eating well for most of the day will allow you a bit more free reign if you have dinner booked with friends in the evening.
- Its ok to be selective with your time. While traditionally Christmas is a time for family and friends, its ok to prioritize some “me time” in there too, so don’t feel pressured into saying yes to every social invite.
Nobody wants to feel the guilt come January, so the take home message is to relax and enjoy your Christmas, but look after your body too and make sure you are getting at least 20 mins exercise every day. And for your final top tip – putting some raspberries into your G&T counts as 1 of your 7-a-day…assuming you eat them that is.
Happy Christmas and New Year from all of us here at PhysioCare!
Book a Physiotherapy Appointment Online with Eithne
