Cold Weather & Christmas Treats

Winter Time
As we all know, the cold weather and dark days are definitely upon us and that can make things tough when all you want to do is cosy up with a blanket and stay indoors! It’s important to rest and spend a day inside, but try to ensure you do some form of movement each day. Daily exercise is proven to boost your mood and of course, keep you fit.

Rely On Your Gym Team
We are here to help! When you are struggling to keep motivated we are here to pick you back up and keep you exercising. We have an amazing range of classes, from a relaxing Yoga class or Body Balance to more high paced classes like Teambeats or Drench etc, us instructors are there to help you. We are also there to answer any questions you may have, so if you spot us on the gym floor do come and speak to us!

Snowed In Or Don’t Want To Step Out In The Cold!
Sometimes it’s hard to get out when it’s cold and miserable outside and just in case we have some snow these are some at home exercises to help you keep moving:
• Lower Body: body weight squats, lunges, jogging, walking
• Upper Body: push ups, shoulder taps, burpees, tricep dips
• Core Exercises: sit ups, crunches, planks, toe taps, ankle taps

Christmas Treats
We all are guilty or gorging on Christmas food, so let’s have a look at some ways to make your festive period a bit healthier and more nutritious.
Firstly, portion size, during Christmas we tend to eat until we physically can’t eat anymore! Instead, try to start with a smaller plate and wait 10-20 minutes before going in for seconds. It takes roughly this amount of time for your body to digest your food, so waiting will help you to determine if you are actually still hungry (or if you just fancied a few more pigs in blankets!).
Another idea is to measure out your food to make sure you are getting enough protein, veg and fibre/carbs. Of course this is easier said than done, so if you cannot resist, a little tip is to go for a walk after that Christmas dinner to keep you moving,

Dark and Dreary Days
A lot of us can suffer from the days getting darker earlier and earlier this time of year and a lack of vitamin D is sometimes the main culprit for this. The body creates vitamin D from getting direct sunlight when you’re outside, not only does this help us regulate calcium and phosphate in our bodies but it also plays an important role in regulating your mood and decreases the risks of depression.
As not all of us can book a holiday for a sunny escape, it helps to eat foods that naturally contain vitamin D. These include, oily fish, red meat, eggs, cheese, mushrooms and some fortified foods such as almond milk, soya yogurts etc. Taking a vitamin D supplement and getting outdoors when the sun is out can give you that little boost too.

Keep Moving!
Whether it’s getting in the gym or walking around looking at Christmas lights, all movement is good movement to keep you healthy and happy over this time of year!