There’s pressure to complete work tasks before Christmas in a climate of chaos at the office. There are more demands at home with festivities to attend, supplies to purchase and preparations to make for school holidays, guests and summer trips.  These extra responsibilities put pressure on time, sleep and finances.  Studies have shown that overspending and overeating often go hand in hand.   Chaos in one area of life breeds chaos in others.  It’s tempting to borrow against January both on the credit card and on the waistline, imagining all excess can be fixed in the new year.  This plan might work if your festive blowout lasts a week or two, but it won’t work if the festivity begins on December 1st and stretches all the way to Waitangi Day!

Now is the time to plan ahead to stay up to date.  Get your festive jobs ticked off the list early and efficiently so you can be away from the shops when the crowds and chaos intensify.   Then you can relax and enter into the true spirit of the festive season with family and friends.
You’ll be your happiest, healthiest festive self if you can find a way to indulge in moderation. Tempting treats are part of the fun of the season, the trick is not spinning out of control with them. Everyone writes the same thing at this time of year – don’t go to parties hungry, look for the healthier options, watch your portion sizes, eat slowly, drink water with wine, don’t park yourself next to the buffet.    Even if you follow all advice the extra calories are pretty inevitable.  
To balance out the festive treats you need a good exercise plan.  Your regime may need slight adaptations for the festive season.  Perhaps exercising in the mornings will work better if you have a lot of post-work functions in the diary.   If early mornings aren’t your style try visiting the gym at an off-peak time such as late-morning. It’s cooler than the evening and easy to zip around quickly and still get to your work lunch on time, with your halo shining.  
Energy in / energy out is a tricky balance to get right in December so it’s helpful to find ways to speed up your metabolic rate. The main factor affecting metabolic rate is the amount of lean muscle mass in the body and the best way to build lean muscle mass is weight training. Keep up your Pump / Grit Strength classes or consider signing up with a PT as an early Christmas present to yourself.  If you have a trainer and you’re a once-a-week person perhaps you could be a twice-a-week person for the festive period.   As well as building lean muscle mass, weight training increases metabolic rate for hours afterwards as the body recovers. It’s the gift that keeps giving!   Other easy ways to keep your metabolic rate high are focusing on foundation habits of sleep, water, fresh foods and protein.  
Seasonal indulgence is fun but there is also joy and peace in living an orderly life within your means, inside a healthy body you feel comfortable in. Set your plans and goals and then relax. Enjoy your health, your family and all your blessings this Christmas.  

Les Mills Takapuna, Rooftop Level, Shore City, Takapuna 0800 LES MILLS lesmills.co.nz   clairebellingham.co.nz   claire@clairebellingham.co.nz