Festive food and fitness survival
3:13pm Thursday 29th November 2007
HOW often do you reach January tired, unfit and feeling the effects of too many mince pies and Christmas treats? With the average person eating 7,000 calories on Christmas Day, and office parties and get togethers starting in early December, thinking "it's Christmas, it won't hurt" can last more than a month, and have a detrimental effect on your health and waistline.
Well, it doesn't have to be that way. By looking after your fitness and diet in the weeks running up to Christmas, you can minimise the damage done, and enter 2008 feeling good.
And the good thing is, you don't have to deprive yourself.
Emma Boffo, a Middlesex based personal trainer with BuddyFit UK, says: "Forget dieting at Christmas and focus more on eating sensibly, healthily and staying active."
Emma, who trains clients in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Middlesex, says the 80/20 rule is important. "Eat as healthily as you can 80 per cent of the time and then it allows you room for treats," she explains.
"It's better to have that one mince pie than be miserable and beat yourself up about it."
Christmas is a time of contradictions when it comes to diet. The parties mean you want to look good in your outfit, but the amount of food - shops stocking Christmas goodies early, enormous tins of chocolates being passed from desk to desk at work - means at the time of year you want to impress, you are being faced with a barrage of temptation.
Emma says: "Think of looking slim and great in that fab outfit and stay focused.
"People will actually be secretly jealous of your will power and even more jealous of the fact you are still svelte in the New Year when everyone else is moaning about their extra kilos."
If you know you have a party to go to, with lots of treats on offer, try and eat as healthily as you can during the rest of the day, rather than just writing the day off.
It's also important to keep yourself active, in case temptation does get the better of you. It may be cold outside, but there are plenty of activities to enjoy - even shopping!
Emma says: "Getting yourself moving is another sure way of keeping off those extra pounds.
"Get clocking up the mileage shopping for presents, clean the whole house or buddy up with friends for a brisk walk in the park."
Other fun winter activities include open air ice skating, a great way to exercise and enjoy yourself at the same time, or make the most of all those parties by hitting the dancefloor, and getting in some extra calorie burning.
Emma also offers group personal training sessions, so you can still have fun with your friends whilst keeping fit, and she also offers personal training vouchers, perfect for a present.
For more healthy eating tips, to kickstart your Christmas fitness plan, to buy a voucher or to find out more about BuddyFit UK, contact Emma on 07956 315851 or email emmaboffo@hotmail.com