Exercise for an even Merrier Christmas!

Of course, you know what season it is – the biggest festive season of the year, combining Christmas and New Year celebrations. Exchanging cards and gifts, staying with family and…lots and lots of…food including roast dinner and ample drinks wrapped up in a myriad of gift boxes from Santa Claus! However, the celebration starts well before Christmas Day and carries on right into the New Year. That sounds, and is amazing. Do you want to squeeze every last drop of enjoyment and magical moments out of your festive holiday? Then read on below to find out why you must Exercise for an even Merrier Christmas!

Well! While you eat that much food and have that many drinks while playing puzzles and board games indoors, you don’t move that much. When you don’t engage in physical activity, you gain weight. A study suggests that people gain an average of 1kg (2.2lb) in weight during this festive period. But hey, no big deal, right?

Don’t be lazy! (Your body doesn’t know it’s Christmas!)

Well actually it is, because the majority of people don’t act to combat that. In my previous article, I talked about the stats and why many people don’t achieve the fitness goals that they’ve set as their ‘New Year’s Resolutions’.

One thing this can and does affect, is your mental health. Studies show that this can lead to mental health problems like depression and anxiety. In fact, more than 650 million people worldwide suffer from some form of mental health issue and 1 in 4 people experience mental health issues every year. That doesn’t quite ‘fit’ (no pun intended) in consistently with the positive vibe of the whole festive period, does it?

You know what will make the world of difference to you to enjoy the holiday season in the best of spirits – and no, we’re not talking about the literal downing of, or drowning in spirits here – a little bit of exercise! It may not be on the holiday season memo, but you know what else should not be on the holiday season memo? Being unhappy!

The influence of exercise over…you!

Exercise influences the release and uptake of feel-good chemicals called endorphins in the brain. Even a short burst of a 10-15 minute brisk walk increases our mental alertness, energy and positive mood.

In a period where you of course should be spending quality time with friends and family, those few minutes you spend exercising will definitely have a great payoff and allow you to extract every last drop of joy and good cheer from this high point of the season. Why not make it a fun game with perhaps an incentive to get others around you doing some exercise too?

How long can you keep a positive mood?

Be in a positive mood during this festive season. Make it a Christmas holiday where you can be merry without worry because of portion sizes or skipping the roast due to endless fears about gaining too much weight.

EXERCISE, eat, drink…and be merry!

Remember, investing in your physical health and your overall well being must always be cornerstones in your life because they carry both tremendous long and short term benefits. Don’t worry about your health, instead turn that energy into mulling over the great presents or surprises you’re going to give your family; now that’s a far more interesting problem to have.

So…“Ho ho ho! You better watch out, you better not cry, you better exercise and I’m telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town”…Be well, keep well, and attract the best gifts in Santa’s sack!

What tips or mindsets do you have for keeping active over festive periods such as Christmas? Let us know in the comments below, and join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. Squeeze out every last drop of enjoyment out of your festivities with our motivational articles to usher you into a spirited 2020 while Keeping YOUR Fit ON!

Jenson Rajkumar

A Youth Football coach, Jenson played football untill University. He's also a qualified PE and sports coach, coaching fitness and sports in Primary Schools. Overall, he's a lifelong sports and fitness fanatic, as well a fitness blogger.

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