Christmas and all the associated holidays, festivities and parties will soon be upon us. As a personal trainer for the last 13 years, I feel pretty safe in saying that there aren’t many people who actually manage to lose weight during this time of the year, let alone just maintain their weight! Unfortunately, most folks are still trying to drop the extra weight they gained over winter when the Christmas season rolls around. So by the time you’ve attended a few work functions, dinners with friends, family lunches and then spent a week away on holiday, you’ve probably eaten all the wrong things, drank way too much alcohol and forgotten about your regular exercise regime entirely. It then becomes easy to see how you not only fail to drop those winter kilos, but you end up carrying a few extra summer kilos too by the time next winter rolls in!! Folks, if you want to avoid the slow constant increase in weight that most people experience every year (and before they know it are 20kg overweight!), then you absolutely must make this time of year a HEALTHY time of year. First and foremost, you need to be doing MORE exercise, not less, to compensate for all the extra calories you’ll be eating and drinking. Then, you need to show some self control at functions and limit your portion sizes and food choices. Remember… the holiday season is meant to be about spending time with loved ones and celebrating the year that has passed. It is NOT a time to stuff you face with whatever your heart desires. Just take small consistent steps to avoid the dreaded weight gain this silly season and I promise you will be so glad you did when you realise that you are starting the new year lighter, leaner, fitter and healthier than you have been in years. And that’s just about the best Christmas present anyone could ask for.
