12 Tips for (surviving) Christmas … and beyond – Part two.

You’ve read the first part, now here we go girls, Part two of our 12 Tips to (surviving) Christmas…. and beyond.

7. Keep it short and sweet.

Did you know that even 10 minutes of exercise has huge benefits for your health? So if you are finding it hard to make time to ‘exercise’ don’t abandon all exercise, just when you get busy.  If 10 minutes is all you can manage, do ten mins.  If you can manage that a couple of times a day, you are on a roll!  Pick 4-5 exercises that you can use in a circuit.  Set the timer (for 10 mins, 15 mins, 20 mins – whatever you can manage), do 12 repetitions of each exercise and do as many rounds as possible in the allocated time.

Here is one beginner sequence for you to try:  Back lunge; push ups (on knees or toes); squats (weighted or unweighted); and mountain climbers.  For more ideas and workouts, check out our IG account @soulsisterhealth.

One important point to mention – with these shorter training sessions – you need to work hard!  If done correctly, you will be breathless.  Always work within your own limits.  Stick with exercises that challenge you but that you are confident in.  Pre and post-natal mummas, please follow your specialist’s advice.

8. Plan your meals around the sides.

It is a longstanding SSH family tradition to plan our Christmas meal around the sides!  Likewise for any entertaining, even everyday family meals – it is ALL about the sides.  Don’t get us wrong – we love a beautiful leg ham, roast chicken, baked salmon or slow-cooked lamb, as much as the next person.  But our hero of the day, is always our fresh delicious and seriously nutritious salad and vegetable smorgasbord.  The perfect way to get your Christmas day (or anytime fix!) without filling up on the heavy stuff is to make sure there are plenty of sides and go for them first.

Tips to creating the BEST sides…. Use fresh seasonal produce.  Throw in plenty of colour.  Add tasty, home-grown herbs.  Add some crunch with seeds, nuts, toasted coconut… Keep your dressings, zesty, simple and light and you can’t go wrong!   It’s time you made friends with your veg!

9. Involve your kids (friends, partner).

If we waited for the perfect time to exercise, we would be waiting for days!  So, instead of waiting for the right time or trying hard to ‘make time’ to get in our exercise session – get everyone involved.  On holidays, our kids are kicking around with me, often joining in while I do my efficient 20 minute session, and they often have to come to group training sessions, they are well and truly part of my exercise!  If they weren’t, my clients and I would NEVER get any exercise done.

If you find it is your kids who seem to be your excuse to skip the exercise session, the girlfriend you promised to catch up with, your partner who wants to ‘spend time’ with you – get them all involved!  Do the session while the kids play in the yard.  Meet that girlfriend for a walk, instead of a coffee.  Motivate your partner to attempt the workout alongside you!

There really is no better motivation for you and the others around you (and most importantly, your children!) than them seeing you prioritise your health. Positive role modelling is such an invaluable gift you can give them, so rather than let them be your reason NOT to exercise – make them your primary reason TO exercise. You owe it to yourself and to them, to be the best version of yourself that you can be.

10. Give the gift of (homemade) food!

While this may be most relevant at Christmas time – there is never a wrong time to give the gift of homemade edible goodies. My parents motto for receiving gifts is that they only want it “if they can eat it, drink it or read it!”.  And how true is this?! We all have too much of everything and in an attempt to simplify our lives, most of us are trying to get rid of ‘stuff’ so who really needs another lovely candle (as gorgeous as they are!!).

A big jar of home-baked goods or homemade pesto or sauces, is always welcome – never more so than when the recipient knows that they are both nutritious and delicious!  You could even use the opportunity to try and convert some of the more skeptical friends of yours out there – healthy food can taste ah-mazing!!

11. Anytime, anywhere.

We are now all so hectic, not just at Christmas time, but all year round.  We are constantly juggling so many commitments and sometimes begrudgingly, think of exercise as just another thing on our ‘To Do’ list.  First up, we need to ditch the mentality that a workout can only happen at the gym, or at 530am in the morning, or with the assistance of your PT.  Then, instead of sacrificing your workouts altogether, try and multi-task instead. Remember that even the small things can make a big difference, so make the most of every opportunity that you get!

In the kitchen cooking?  Push ups on the bench while you wait for the pot to boil.  Supervising the kids in the park? Squat up and down alongside them. Watching tv with your hubby?  Complete your full stretch routine in the ad breaks.

This is all made easier if you practice both Tips #3 and #7 – being ‘dressed for success’ and ‘keep it short and sweet’! A little change in the way that you mentally approach your exercise, can reap big rewards, so start to look at exercise as something that you can squeeze in – anytime, anywhere!

12. Keep it simple.

Did you know that habits can take up to 80+ days to be formed properly.  And, every time you attempt to add a new habit, it becomes less likely for any of them to succeed.  So, what is our advice here – if these tips are a long way from where you are now – just pick just one and look at how you can introduce that into your everyday/ week. The last thing that we want is for you to be overwhelmed by it all….

Once you feel like you are in the swing of it (without having to think too much about it)  – look at the next tip you might like to try and give it a go.  While a number of the tips here complement each other – please don’t try and do everything at once.  We want you to succeed.  We want these things to become second nature (habits) to you and we want good health to become easy for you, for life!  So, be patient. Pick off one small action at a time.  Master that first. Then introduce another.  Most importantly, keep it simple.

       

If you haven’t already – sign up to receive our emails on upcoming products and events and download your free copy of our 5 Tips to Better Health for a more thorough look at our simple, non-negotiables you can take to get yourself on the right track towards better health.

Good luck girls… plenty more of this to come!

Anna & Em xo