The Christmas and New Year holidays are almost here! So make sure to keep up your healthy habits!
This is a time to relax, spend time with the family and visit relatives. But it can also become a very stressful time. Richard Holmes, Managing Director of Working Health says “take the stress out of Christmas by planning ahead and getting organised. Think back to last year – make a list of the things that you could have done differently to make Christmas a little more relaxed – do these things this year!” We can all be tempted to indulge over Christmas and the New Year, which is why it’s important to maintain healthy habits.
Use the holidays to focus on you:
Eat well
We all know what Christmas celebrations mean in terms of food and drink! This year enjoy your food but watch your appetite, when we eat more our appetite tends to increase. Start each day with an energy building breakfast, ensure you get your 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day and deliberately try to drink more water.
Get more active
Lying around watching 3 hours plus of television per day reduces fitness, increases the chance of TV snacking and will cause weight gain during the festive period.
Exercising regularly on 5 days or more each week has been proven to reduce the risk of catching a cold by almost 50% and to reduce the severity of symptoms when you catch a cold. Use the festive holiday to start to get in shape to protect yourself from colds in January.
Exercise also promotes and enhances your mood! A 30-minute brisk walk is all that’s needed, so it’s well within the capability of most of us! Alternatively, why not join a gym for the winter and get fit in comfort, whatever the weather.
Read more: Maintaining healthy habits over the festive period
