7 things to do to help you stay healthy during the festive excess
The well-worn promises of waiting until January to 'get back in shape' are trotted out every year, but why wait til then to kick-start your health goals?
Experts believe the key to a brighter, healthier 2024 actually lies in being pro-active between Christmas and New Year’s Day. While it's only natural to wait until seasonal festivities are over before we even think of looking after our well-being, if you keep your head and don't give in to excess, you WILL get the new year off to a fitter, happier start than you ever dreamt possible.
Now this isn't to say you should forego any fun, far from it. The idea is just to be sensible and follow a few simple guidelines. And to help you stay on track during this most wonderful time of the year, physiotherapist Sammy Margo from muscle and joint care experts Deep Heat, Deep Freeze and Deep Relief, has some great tips for you.
She says: “If you’ve had a busy time before Christmas and then indulged too much, it’s all too easy to sit about, relax, finish off the chocolates, watch TV and binge watch on box sets! But if you want to start 2024 well, the week between Christmas and New Year is a great opportunity to stay healthy by moving more than usual, getting enough sleep, eating healthily and generally de-stressing after the festivities. And many of us can devote some time to doing this as we aren’t at work."
Tips for staying healthy between Christmas and New Year:
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Eat healthily: This includes eating up the vegetables and fruit you have left over. Don’t overeat the leftover chocolates and biscuits. Share them around and spread them out over time. If you want to eat less healthy food, give yourself 20 minutes and think about whether you really want it or are hungry.
Love your leftovers: If you have leftovers, use them and save yourself the hassle of cooking new dishes which you might eat more of. It also means less waste.
Buy or make some healthy treats: If you haven’t anything left over. It’s quick to mix up some smoked mackerel pate (with yoghurt, horseradish and lemon juice) or buy some hummus. Use both as dips with vegetable sticks. Or simply eat raw vegetables such as carrots, celery or cucumber..
Focus on fruit, too. Apples, pears, bananas and berries are great. Add them to your breakfast menus (oats, wholegrain cereal) or dip into no added sugar nut butters.
Move more. This ‘between’ week is a real opportunity to be active. Get out for 30 minutes of walking, jogging or cycling each day.
Get in some strength and stretch exercise: If the gym is closed (or you don’t go) look at some on-line exercise routines, squats, press-ups, sit ups, stretches. Start gently if you are unused to this type of exercise, but aim to make it a habit into the new year and beyond. Avoid potential pain getting in your way by always warming up and cooling down before exercise. Try using something like Deep Heat Muscle Massage Roll-on Lotion before exercise to help loosen tight muscles and reduce the chance of DOMs (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) while for cooling down the New Deep Freeze Muscle Rescue Cold Spray is my go-to as it works like ice and provides a fast-acting, long-lasting cooling sensation, scientifically proven to soothe minor aches in muscles and joints.
De-stress and get a good nights’ sleep: It’s best not to fall asleep on the sofa during the day as this gets you out of a routine. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day (as much as possible) so you are ready for life after the festivities.
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