5 WAYS TO AVOID THE FESTIVE BULGE
It’s the dark shadow which looms over Christmas; that omnipresent feeling of gluttony which pervades us all. Before we know it, it’s January and we are a few kilos heavier, wistfully regretting those extra mince pies and glasses of red we so swiftly knocked back only a week ago. But what about 2015? Don’t forget all of those performance goals we have set ourselves. It’s a fine balance between not acquiring that middle aged bulge which looks so catching in lycra, and not being a boring purist over the Christmas period.
Here at Elivar we have put some tips together to keep you a lean, mean fighting machine in spite of temptation all around you:
1. Enough is enough
You know that point when you’re really full, but you just keep reaching for an extra piece of stilton and top up the port glass? Stop right there. Or you’ve already lost a Strava segment. It’s all about balance, so while one or two days of overindulgence won’t harm you too much, keep that up for the holidays and its a different story. Everything in moderation!
2. The Good Stuff
If you do feel the need to go large then tuck into some traditional Christmas foods that are packed full of the good stuff. Turkey, aside from being rich in protein is also a good source of B-vitamins, selenium and zinc. Chestnuts unlike a lot of other nuts are low fat and also provide fibre, vitamin C and folic acid – all of which are important for our immune system.
3. Exercise
Don’t sit around for two weeks binge eating. Or if you do, make sure you at least take the dog for a walk. Or, if you want real exercise, get on the turbo in front of some festive TV, round up some friends and head out for a ride, or go for an early morning run to kickstart the metabolism. In fact, there is something very liberating by simply going for a run on Christmas day – you just feel better about yourself AND can escape from your mother-in-law for a bit. It’s a win-win. Christmas doesn’t mean you have to be lazy and/or permanently drunk!
4. Plan for 2015
While you have all this free time over the festive period, put it some good use (when you’re not calibrating your new Garmin). Plan for 2015, set some realistic goals (maybe before the half bottle of port) and work out what you need to do to get there. It’s motivating and will put that next piece of Christmas pudding in perspective. It might even stop you eating it altogether*.
*Disclaimer: this is not guaranteed.
5. Get inspired
Whether it’s an autobiography of a heroic sporting figure, a new training environment overseas, a new training partner, or a new race entry – get some of that inspiration going to burn away some of the Christmas lethargy. With all the sitting around over the festive period there’s a whole host of books you could sponge inspiration from.
We recommend:
- Boys In The Boat (a timeless tale of sporting glory)
- Roy Keane’s latest rant (not inspirational but it’s certainly a good laugh)
- Do No Harm (a brain surgeon’s memoirs – not sport-related but it will certainly make you want to make the most of each day)
- The Secret Race (the Lance Armstrong drug scandal well and truly outed – reverse psychology inspiration!)
This kind of stuff will help keep you ‘on the wagon’ and away from the middle-aged-spread-crisis zone.
Merry Christmas!
About Elivar
Elivar – Sports Nutrition optimised for athletes over 35 year old. Our bodies change as we age, so should our sports nutrition.
If you haven’t tried our unique products – why not try our Weekend Endurance Pack – including a sample of each of our Recover, Endure and Hydrate Plus products, in a variety of flavors.
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