As the days continue to get darker earlier and Christmas party season well and truly gets into full swing, we wouldn’t blame you if you were feeling less than motivated about maintaining your everyday fitness routine.
In fact, many of us would probably prefer to don our bright and colourful party dress code complete with red lipstick and a show stopping shimmery outfit. Or, perhaps a jovial jumper/shirt and trouser combination, depending on your preference.
Get Christmas Party Ready
During this time of year, it can also be especially tempting to tuck into a whole host of delicious delights. Whilst balance is key, it’s still important to eat healthy nutritious food and train as regularly as your seasonal social calendar permits.
To help you, we’ve put together a few tips aimed at encouraging you with your workouts and food regime and ensure that you’re feeling fabulous and Christmas party ready.
Fresh Food
We believe cooking and eating fresh food is always best. There will be plenty of winter vegetables available such as Brussels sprouts, leeks, savoy cabbage and Jerusalem artichokes, for you to sample and make something creative with.
Try roasting some baby carrots, pumpkins, parsnips and artichokes, combined with your choice of seasonings, paired with a little olive or rapeseed oil. This will not only be delicious, but also healthy and packed with flavour and essential nutrients.
Balance Things Out
During this time of year, supermarkets will be fully stocked with a whole host of tempting Christmas treats including mince pies, chocolate yule logs, alcohol in various tempting forms and shortbread. So it’s vital you remember not to overdo it.
On the other hand, we believe everyone deserves to indulge from time to time – especially at their Christmas party and during the festive season as a whole.
So, if you’re tucking into a tantalising Yorkshire pudding wrap with all the trimmings, opt for warming seasonal soup with some wholemeal bread and a side of fruit for your second meal.
Switch Things Up
Although many of us enjoy being active outdoors during the summertime. The thought of doing the same during the party season and wintry months doesn’t quite have the same appeal to most. You might want to try something a little different from your typical gym routine, like a group fitness class.
Exercising in a group offers a whole host of benefits including, working out in a fun and social setting and picking up new pointers on how to train more efficiently and effectively. It could also inspire you train that little bit harder, as you’ll be competing against one another and collectively push each other to keep going.
We offer a number of classes for members of varying fitness interests and abilities, including, Zumba, HIIT and Boxercise.
Get Some Air
Our mission is to get as many people as possible engaging in 30 minutes of activity, five days a week.
While we understand you may want to stick to working out indoors during the festive season and colder months. It’s still vital to try and get some fresh air wherever possible.
To increase your heart rate and get your blood pumping, consider going out for a brisk walk during your lunch break or a light jog once you return from work and you’ll be able to enjoy the Christmas party even more so than usual.
Time Changer
Leaving your warm and cosy bed is always slightly more difficult during the colder months. But it may be worthwhile to swap your after work gym sessions to the mornings instead. There’s a chance it might be a slight struggle to begin with, but you’ll find yourself with more energy throughout the day. You’ll also have more free time in the evenings, are likely to sleep better and earlier and you’ll feel much more prepared for your Christmas party.