We all tend to over-indulge during the Christmas period. The lead up to Christmas Day is frantic as we battle the late night shopping crowds. Hosting lunch adds another dimension to an already stressful period. We’re cleaning up the house, preparing the backyard and entertaining area, and cooking. So much cooking.
The big day rolls around. We eat, drink, and be merry, and then the slump between Christmas and New Year begins. This period is an opportunity to kick start a fitness habit for life.
In this blog post, we’ll give you some great reasons to exercise after Christmas, and a simple 12 Days of Post-Christmas fitness routine that can be done in 5 minutes flat each day.
First, here are some key reasons to start exercising straight after Christmas.
1. Help Manage Your Kilojoule (Energy) Intake
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Christmas comes with snacking, generous leftovers, and in many cases, excess alcohol.
One study suggests many Brits eat up to 6,000 calories (25,000 kilojoules) on Christmas Day. It’s not hard to see how this would be very similar for us Aussies. It’s a statistic that can make you think twice about that second helping of pavlova!
It's almost impossible to get away from food this time of year. The problem is the addictive nature of all those sugary, salty and fatty foods. Your body craves the feeling and it’s hard to stop - creating a pattern of poor food choices.
Exercising can't possibly burn away all the calories you eat during the festive season, but it can make you more aware of your daily routine and the snacks you're grabbing. It's okay to indulge, but it's good to be mindful, and exercising helps you be healthy and mindful during this time.
2. Help Alleviate Stress and Anxiety
Christmas brings cheer and goodwill, and a lot of tension. Family gatherings, travel, extra children's activities, shopping trips, and last-minute jobs fill your calendar. The extra activity quickly stresses out many people and creates anxiety unlike any other time of year.
Some people struggle over the festive season. Instead of feeling joyful, they experience sadness and grief, especially if they've lost someone.
Exercising acts as a stress reliever and antidepressant, releasing endorphins (feel-good hormones) in your brain, which can combat stress and negative feelings. Working out is a great distraction at this time of year.
3. Help Increase Your Energy Levels
With all the running around, fatigue sets in at the end of the year. We become tired and weary from social engagements and unhealthy food.
Exercise can help.
Many people reach for caffeine, to help get them through the morning. But in reality, exercise is a smarter choice because it causes oxygen to circulate more quickly, which makes you more alert and helps you function better.
4. Provide Structure to Your Routine
The Christmas season tends to throw off people's schedules. With the time off work, you quickly get out of your routine. You can easily forget what day it is.
Exercising every day helps you create healthy habits that get you through the period between Christmas and the New Year. Regular exercise helps you eat better, too - you don’t want to jeopardise your gains.
It's sometimes hard to schedule in a workout, but if you set aside just a little time every day, you can focus on building good habits that will last a lifetime.
5. Stop Sedentary Behaviours from Forming
It's easy to flop on the couch and watch the Boxing Day Test with a drink in hand. But it’s a sedentary activity. For many of us, this routine is what derails an exercise habit to start with.
And while the festivities at this time of year make it easy to want to lounge around, movement is always the best option.
Spend just a few minutes each day exercising, and you'll feel better. You’ll be more focused and build momentum into the New Year period.
Did you know you can harness the power of incidental exercise? Watch Australia demolish the opposition whilst burning some calories on an exercise bike or treadmill!
6. Exercise Is Addictive
After a season of treats and over-indulgence, exercise gives you a jump on your New Year's Resolution! Once you start seeing results, you'll want to keep going. You'll feel better, look better, and have more energy. This exercise-induced high gives you the incentive to keep doing what you're doing.
So, instead of procrastinating, and saying to yourself, "January 1st, I start," get started now! Start building better habits in the lead up to the New Year instead.
Your 12 Days of Post-Christmas Exercise Routine
This routine is done and dusted in 5 minutes. The only equipment needed is some dumbbells or a kettlebell - both are extremely versatile free weights that can be used for so many different exercises.
Here is the program:
- Static Plank (30 seconds)
- Alternating Lunges (30 seconds)
- Burpees (30 seconds)
- Deadbugs (30 seconds)
- Wall sit (30 seconds)
- Pushups (30 seconds - add a 5kg weight vest for extra resistance)
- Glute bridges (30 seconds)
- Dumbbell squats (30 seconds)
- Tricep dips (30 seconds)
- Kettlebell swings (30 seconds
Simply rinse and repeat for 12 days and watch the fat melt away.
You’ll start feeling those endorphins surging through your body, naturally boosting your energy and self-confidence.
“Don’t break the Chain”
You can start building better habits right now by using Jerry Seinfeld's "don't break the chain" method of avoiding procrastination. Grab yourself a calendar and a pen.
On day one, do the exercise routine outlined below, then put an 'X' on the calendar for that day. Day 2, the same thing. Over time, you'll see a chain of 'Xs' forming on your calendar. Now don't break that chain.
Keep going, every day!
If you don't have the equipment you need, we'd love to help you get started down the right path to a healthier, less stressful post-Christmas season!
Call our team on 1300 13 42 13 or email us today.
