5 tips to keep your health and fitness on track over the Christmas period

You’ve been working hard all year, it’d be a shame to let it all go to waste for just one day! The health and fitness pros at Gym Plus know it’s impossible not to indulge over the festive period, so they’ve come up with easy-to-follow tips that should keep you in the Christmas spirit, without impacting on your wellness journey. 

We’ve all been there, “just one more” we tell ourselves reaching for the mince pie tray. And this is before our dessert of trifle and ice cream, and after us dipping our hand into the tin of Roses until only the strawberry ones are left (sorry strawberry ones).

Sure the arm movements are a work out, right? Wrong!

Is there actually a healthy way to enjoy the party season without feeling like you’re missing out on the festive fun? The fitness experts from Gym Plus say absolutely.

They’ve created some top tips to embrace the festivities and rock the party season.

1. Dance Like Nobody’s Watching

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One favourite Christmas tradition is dancing the night away – a great calorie burner too.  Why not get warmed up for the upcoming New Year’s Eve bash with a dance-centric class at Gym Plus? Zumba is a popular fitness class where clients can dance to their heart’s content to choreographed dance moves. For those who love to dance, this is the fitness class to get you in the festive spirit. Clients don’t have to have dance experience as the classes are suitable for all ages and fitness levels. You’ll also get a great cardio workout that blasts fat, strengthens your core and improves your coordination and flexibility.

2. Fit More In

With late nights, family get-togethers and parties galore, your free time can become scarce over the last few weeks in December. Now is the best time to fit in a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout. Clients can achieve an excellent full-body workout in just 30 minutes, including cardio and strength training. By getting your heart rate up high, your body has to work harder to bring it down which results in burning more calories. Furthermore, your metabolism stays in a heightened state for hours afterwards. Classes such as HIIT, Bootcamp or XFIT are perfect for a total body workout and can be very effective if performed even twice a week.

3. Enjoy Guilt-Free Cocktails

Eating and drinking clean can be particularly hard this time of year as temptation is everywhere – don’t let a few Christmas cocktails be your downfall. There are plenty of healthy beverages that are low in sugar, reduced calories and contain ingredients that are actually good for you. Pairing spirits with fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices have been proven to help balance out the negative effects of alcohol on the body’s immune system. If you are the one hosting a party this season, break out the bubbly, as champagne is a great low-calorie party drink, with four ounces containing only 91 calories.

4. DIY Canapés

Christmas is a tricky time for the health-conscious. You are certain to be presented with at least one tray of hors d’oeuvres over the party season. As delicious as they are, canapés are usually filled with rich, creamy cheeses, fatty meats and fried bites. While one evening of enjoying hors d’oeuvres won’t hurt, a month of endless trays will. Gym Plus advises to make your own healthy canapés to serve to guests at home or bring to a party. This will help you control your diet and nutrition intake.

5. Enjoy Yourself!

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Some final tips from Gym Plus trainers include:

• Commit to working out early because you won’t do it later, no matter what you tell yourself. Run the day and don’t let the day run you – Gym Plus Cork 
• If you know you are going to eat out or have a large dinner, eat less calories for breakfast and lunch, or have just have brunch and dinner. I would also try
  work out an hour or two before you go out to try empty the glycogen levels and again next morning try 30 minutes cardio, run or fast walk – Gym Plus Ashbourne
• Indulge on the day and then get back on track as everyone needs to enjoy life and one meal will not break your goal – Gym Plus Drogheda
• Make sure to practise your bicep curls for all the pint/wine lifting – Gym Plus Ballsbridge

For more information and top fitness tips from the Gym Plus team visit gymplus.ie.