Enjoy Christmas without the guilt

As Christmas draws ever near I thought it prudent to consider ways in which we can stick to some sort of training routine over the festive period thus avoiding the following pitfalls:

Stopping: often we completely abandon our fitness routine yet overindulge. Overtraining: sometimes we use the extra free time to exercise even more.

However, we should be able to enjoy the festive period whilst still engaging in some physical activity. So consider the following points:

1. Recover: take your foot off the gas and allow a reduction in training. Decrease the loads used, frequency, intensity and / or duration of your fitness sessions. Use this time to engage in some active recovery, maybe working on technique or simply exercising for fun, thus allowing yourself to enjoy whatever fitness you take part in.
2. Accept: big meals, treats and alcohol are all part and parcel of Christmas. Allow yourself to indulge and give your will power a well-earned rest. But avoid overindulging by reducing the frequency and quantity of treats and alcohol than you might traditionally do at Christmas.
3. Plan: think about when you exercise. For example, try exercising earlier in the day and preferably on a ‘drinking’ day. Then allow a rest and recovery, alcohol free day afterwards which will help alleviate any guilt as well as hangover symptoms.
4. Hydrate: try and drink half a pint of water before going to bed especially on ‘drinking’ days and have some on your bedside table in case you are thirsty / feel dehydrated in the night. In conjunction with drinking plenty of water or squash think about introducing multivitamin supplements like the effervescent B complexes and Vitamin C tablets. Also most of us will suffer a drop in Vitamin D levels in the winter as we are less exposed to the sun so a good Vitamin D tablet can be helpful.
5. Cross train: use this period to train with friends or to try something different like resistance training or enjoying the great outdoors.

Most importantly have fun as you exercise.

Have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.