Are you getting fatter than the Goose this Christmas?
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So the Christmas party season has started, school Christmas fairs are in full flow, Nativity shows will be next, shopping centers are rammed full of people desperate to purchase their loved ones presents from a list as long as their arm. There's a turkey to buy, a gluten free dairy free tasty stuffing recipe to be found and millions of Brussels sprouts and potatoes to be dragged home and prepared ready for the big day. There are hours of literally back breaking wrapping to do, in my house it's a one man job as David says he can't do it as well as me ( not great with 6 children) and for those who still do it, 56 million cards to write to people who never send one back to you!
And all this goes on at the same time as we are juggling our lives, trying to cram so much into our days so that we can squeeze in the extra social engagements that we say 'yes' to , at this time of year.
It may not be just the Goose who gets fatter!! - And is that because you haven't done 4 exercise classes per week as normal?
No - it might be due to chronic stress. It's well documented that having a highly stressful lifestyle, especially as we get older, can lead to weight gain. This is how it happens: Your body responds to all stress in the same way. Every time you have a stressful day, your brain instructs your cells to release potent hormones. You get a burst of adrenaline, which taps stored energy so you can fight or flee. At the same time, you get a surge of cortisol, which tells your body to replenish that energy even though you haven't used very many calories. This can make you hungry...very hungry. And your body keeps on pumping out that cortisol as long as the stress continues.
So am I here to tell you to run further and faster or do an extra fitness session?
NO!!
Christmas can be a magical time for many of us, whatever the ages of our children. The pretty lights everywhere making the most boring streets look magical, the excited smiling faces of children waiting for Santa, and the tree hanging with decorations old and new. But being stressed can mean we don't stop to notice and enjoy what is going on around us, we don't step off the treadmill and enjoy time with our friends and loved ones and believe me, I'm just as guilty as the next person when it comes to switching off from work mode.
So this year From December 1st until Santa pops down the chimney, every SLJ session, run, walk, fitball etc will be geared towards helping you leave feeling calmer and less stressed. The time for stretches at the end will be a bit longer, the content of our sessions will be tweaked to take a few moments to de-stress you - so that you leave us feeling enriched and happy. We hope that this change of pace will help you enjoy what should be a true holiday in every sense of the word.
We have a series of indoor fitness sessions which you might like to try over Christmas,
Details of these classes can be found here. You can book just one class if you want - or several and they are open to anyone. Our run and power walk sessions continue right up until Christmas week and you can see these sessions at a glance HERE.