Free Fitness Tips » Holiday Fitness http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk Free Fitness Tips provides you with free diet, exercise, fitness and weight loss tips to help you lead a fitter and healthier life. Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:07:55 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 8 Fitness Christmas Present Ideas http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/8-fitness-christmas-present-ideas.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/8-fitness-christmas-present-ideas.html#comments Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:16:41 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=1511

Now that Christmas is just around the corner you would hope to have all your presents bought, wrapped and placed under the tree.  However, every year it always seems that there are a few people who you just cannot find the right gift for.  So this year why not tackle the problem by introducing them to the world of fitness with one of the eight Christmas present ideas listed below.

1) FOOTBALL:- Christmas is traditionally a time where exercise takes a back seat.  So why not mix it up this year by getting someone a football?  Not only is it a perfect present for most boys but it can also be used to give the whole family some exercise over the festive period.  Simply drag everyone away from the TV for a few hours and suggest a Christmas kick around in your local park.

2) GRIPMASTER:- Whilst I have not yet personally tried the Gripmaster product I have read numerous positive reviews and it looks like a fantastic product.  Unlike most other grip strengthening products, the Gripmaster allows you to exercise each finger individually which means you can work on any weak fingers and bring them all up to equal strength.  Since it is portable and unique the Gripmaster is a great, fun way to gently initiate a friend or family member into the world of fitness.

3) GYM MEMBERSHIP:- Most gyms run offer trial memberships and a lot of them offer special festive deals on these.  So if you cannot think of any tangible Christmas gifts that would be suitable for a certain person this year, get them a gym membership.  If the person in question does not need too much motivation to start exercising then a standard gym membership should do.  However, if they need a little extra push you may want to get them a few introductory sessions with a personal trainer.

4) IPOD:- The iPod is not specifically a fitness product.  However, music is a great motivational tool to get people exercising.  It can make jogging more fun, help you power through a tough gym workout or give you the push you need to do some exercise when you really do not feel like it.  So if there is someone on your gift list who needs a little inspiration to get them exercising perhaps the iPod is a perfect present for them.  If they already have an iPod you could try “borrowing” it, purchasing some motivational tunes, loading them on to the iPod and then giving it back to them in time for Christmas.

5) NINTENDO WII:- If there is a gamer in your circle of family and friends who you want to make a little more active then the Nintendo Wii is the perfect present to combine your interests.  They will love it because they get a brand new games console and you will succeed in getting them more active because they will have to move around every time they play on the Wii.  If they already have a Wii then go one step further and get them Wii Fit – a videogame that is specifically focussed on improving your fitness.

6) POWERBALL:- The Powerball is another potential Christmas present that is both fun and promotes exercise.  The technique takes a while to get used to but once you master it the Powerball becomes very addictive and you will find yourself competing against friends and family members to get the highest score.

7) ROCKY BLU RAYS AND DVDS:- With the Christmas weather getting colder and colder it becomes increasingly difficult to find the motivation to exercise.  It can be very tempting to just sit on the couch in front of a warm fire and catch up on the festive films.  So why not give that special someone the motivation they need to exercise over Christmas by getting them one or more of the Rocky films?  After watching one of these films the recipient will be raring to go and start training like Mr Balboa himself.

8) TRAINERS:- Do you know anyone who you keep trying to get to train with you only for them to say they do not have the right equipment?  Well this year you can cut the excuses and get them a gift by giving them some trainers for Christmas.  Then next time you go ask them to come training it will be the perfect opportunity to test out their new present.

If you are looking for that last minute Christmas present then I hope this article has given you some ideas.  Whoever you are buying for the list above should contain a suitable gift.

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/8-fitness-christmas-present-ideas.html/feed 6 5 Christmas Party Survival Tips http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/5-christmas-party-survival-tips.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/5-christmas-party-survival-tips.html#comments Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:03:30 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=1505

Over the festive period parties are as much of a certainty as mince pies and Christmas trees.  Everyone likes to let their hair down and party after a long, hard year.  However, too much partying can have negative implications on your fitness goals.  It can leave you feeling tired and run down which consequently means that exercise and healthy eating take a back seat.  That is why today I am going to provide you with five Christmas party survival tips.

1) MODERATE YOUR ALCOHOL INTAKE:- This may be one of the biggest clichés in Christmas party articles.  However, my advice is slightly different to the normal advice on offer.  I understand that it is difficult to moderate your alcohol intake at every party you attend.  Furthermore, the occasional heavy night is not going to have long term implications on your fitness goals.  So instead of moderating your alcohol consumption on a party by party basis, why not instead try and moderate your alcohol consumption over the entire festive period?

You probably have a good idea of how many festive events you will be attending where alcohol is on offer.  Your office Christmas party, Christmas dinner, the traditional nights out you have with your friends over the festive period and New Years Eve are all days that you can earmark in advance as potential heavy drinking sessions.  Once you have identified all these days, map them out on a calendar.  Then try and split them 50/50 between days where you will be drinking and days where you will be avoiding or seriously moderating your alcohol intake.  For example, you may want to drink at your office Christmas party, on the traditional Christmas Eve night out with your friends and on New Years Eve.  If this is the case then avoid the alcohol on Christmas Day, volunteer as the designated driver when you go out for a few Boxing Day drinks and just have a couple at your neighbour’s Christmas party.  By moderating your alcohol intake in this way you can ensure that you do not have a constant Christmas hangover whilst still enjoying a selection of the festive parties.

2) HAVE A GOOD MEAL BEFORE YOU PARTY:- This is another popular cliché but also excellent advice.  Christmas parties are often loaded with high calorie treats and if you go to the party on an empty stomach then you are much more likely to get hungry and indulge.  By eating a good meal before you start partying you can ensure that you get some good, nutritious food in your body and minimise any snacking you do at the party.

3) EAT SELECTIVELY AT THE PARTY:- If you do decide to eat at the party then make sure you eat selectively.  Certain party snacks are a lot healthier than others.  Avoid the sausage rolls, pork pies and Chocolate cakes.  Instead go for the fresh, natural slices of meat, fruit portions and salad bowls.  Not only are these lower in calories but they also provide your body with high levels of fibre, protein and vitamins.

If you think it will be too difficult to avoid the unhealthy food at every party you attend then take the same approach that I have recommended with alcohol.  Map out the parties where you know food will be on offer in advance.  Then split them 50/50 between parties where you will be avoiding the processed foods and parties where you will let yourself indulge.

4) EXERCISE AFTER A HEAVY PARTY:- Exercise is probably the last thing you feel like doing if you have a particularly heavy party session.  Drinking lots of alcohol or eating lots of junk food does not leave you feeling very fresh the next day.  Whilst it is true you cannot compensate for a poor diet with exercise, a post party workout can partially offset the negative effects and at the very least help you burn off some of those excess calories.  So if you know it is going to be a big party, set your alarm to get yourself up nice and early the next day.  When it goes off, face the hangover head on and do some exercise.  If you are stuck for ideas hitting the gym, going for a jog or going for a bike ride are all good ways to combat a particularly heavy party.

5) MAKE SURE YOU CATCH UP ON YOUR SLEEP:- Just because it is party season does not mean everything else stops.  You still have to go to work (unless you are one of the lucky people who gets an extensive Christmas break) and keep up with all your other duties.  This means that something has to give.  Very often it is your sleep that starts to suffer over the festive period.  If you have a mid-week party to attend but still have to be at work first thing in the morning then a lack of sleep is unavoidable.  However, you can minimise the impact of these late nights by catching up on your sleep elsewhere.  If you have a Thursday night party but know that your Wednesday evening is going to be quiet, make the effort to get in bed extra early on the Wednesday night.  By catching up on your sleep in this way you will feel much less fatigued as the festive period goes on and be much more refreshed when the new year comes around.

Whilst it is extremely difficult to stay as focussed on your fitness over Christmas as you do during the rest of the year, you can maintain some momentum whilst also enjoying the traditional Christmas get togethers.  Hitting the gym everyday, avoiding all alcohol and not eating any Christmas treats is unrealistic.  However, the tips above should give you the balance you need to party whilst not completely derailing your fitness regime.

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/5-christmas-party-survival-tips.html/feed 5 Did I Manage To Get My Body Vacation Ready? http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/vacation-body-update.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/vacation-body-update.html#comments Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:46:47 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=1369

Hello everyone.  In one of my recent posts I plugged Rusty Moore’s latest free report – The Vacation Body Blueprint.  In this post I mentioned that I was travelling to Brazil in the next three weeks and was going to be using the techniques in Rusty’s report to try and tone up before I went.  Well those three weeks have now passed so this is just a quick post to let you know how I got on before I jet off to Brazil.

HOW DID I GET ON WITH MY DIET AND EXERCISE ROUTINE?

1) DIET:- The plan for my diet was to make three main changes:
- Cut down my carbohydrate intake by replacing my lunchtime sandwiches with a pot of natural yoghurt mixed with protein powder and some fruit.
- Introduce a daytime fast twice a week.
- Eliminate all junk food and alcohol.

So how did I do on the diet front?  I believe I did quite well.  I managed to completely stick to the yoghurt and fruit combination for lunch.  In fact this part was not as difficult as I thought it would be.  I also managed to avoid junk food and alcohol completely.  I did not do as well as planned with the fasting but I still managed one daytime fast during the three weeks.

2) EXERCISE:-:- My exercise plan was simply to hit the gym hard every day until I went away to Brazil.  I planned to start each workout with a resistance training routine and then finish off with high intensity sprint intervals on the treadmill.

So did I manage to maintain this exercise routine?  Pretty much yes.  I had two rest days but every other day I was in the gym.  Since I had not been to the gym for a few months prior to this (I have been using jogging as my main form of exercise) my strength was not up to where I wanted it to be.  Overall though I feel each workout was an effective one that worked my muscles and burned some fat.

SUMMARY

Surprisingly it was not as difficult as I thought to follow this stricter diet and exercise regime.  I thought cutting down my carbohydrate intake would make me feel hungry and that I would start to crave junk food.  However, I did not experience any of these feelings.  Exercising almost every day was tiring but it was not as exhausting as I first thought it would be.

Admittedly this routine has not had a massive impact on my body composition.  I have dropped some body fat and got a bit leaner.  However, because I have been away from the gym so long my body has quite simply not had the time to adapt and there has been no big change.  Nonetheless it has still been an interesting experiment.

I’M OFF…I WILL BE BACK IN THREE WEEKS

So that’s it from me for three weeks now.  I am off to Brazil for a much needed holiday.  I have a few guest posts scheduled to go live whilst I am away so the blog won’t be completely empty.  Hope you enjoy them :-).

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/vacation-body-update.html/feed 2 Learn How To Get Your Body Vacation Ready http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/vacation-body.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/vacation-body.html#comments Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:15:06 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=1358

Hey everyone.  Today I wanted to let you know that Rusty Moore of The Fitness Black Book has released a fantastic new, free report called “The Vacation Body Blueprint”.  Although Rusty stays in good shape all year round when he goes on vacation (holiday to people in the UK) he likes to get his body in extraordinary shape.  In this report Rusty discusses the strategies he follows in the three to five weeks leading up to a vacation to go from “good” shape to “great” shape.  Some of the strategies are pretty aggressive but according to Rusty they can get you as ripped as Cam Gigandet in Never Back Down or Brad Pitt in Fight Club.

This report has come at a particularly good time for me as I am going on holiday to Brazil in three weeks time and would love to tone up a bit before I get there.  I have always had a skinny frame and whilst going to the gym has allowed me to put on a little size I have never managed to get ultra ripped.  Therefore, for the next three weeks I am going to be following the advice Rusty gives in “The Vacation Body Blueprint” by tightening up my diet and hitting the gym hard.  It should be an interesting experiment as I have never tried something this intense (especially from a diet perspective) before.  So now you are probably wondering exactly what changes I am going to make?

1) DIET:- I personally feel my diet is pretty good.  Not great but pretty good.  Most of the time I try to eat real foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and fish.  However, I think there are a number of areas where I could improve my diet.

First, my lunch usually consists of four wholemeal sandwiches which contain cream cheese, spinach and then a filling of either beef, chicken or smoked salmon.  This is quite a high calorie lunch and probably results in me eating too much bread and cheese.  Secondly, I probably eat “junk food” two or three times per week.  Every two or three Fridays I go for a pub lunch with work which usually consists of a burger and chips.  On top of this most Saturdays I go round to my parents house for tea which is traditionally pizza night.  I also let myself have a canned carbonated drink once a week.  Finally, I do drink alcohol quite regularly and could do with cutting down.

So how am I going to improve my diet?  Well first I am going to be cutting down on my intake of bread significantly.  My lunch is going to become much simpler and involve a small pot of natural yoghurt mixed with protein powder and some fruit (either a banana or some berries).  This should allow me to significantly cut down my lunchtime carbohydrates and calories whilst maintaining the level of protein I get.    Secondly, I am going to introduce a daytime fast twice a week per week.  This will involve not eating anything during the day until my evening meal which will further reduce my weekly calorie intake and also promote increased fat burning.  Finally, I am going to try and completely eliminate junk food from my diet for the next three weeks.  That means no carbonated drinks, no Friday pub lunches, no Saturday pizza nights and no alcohol.  I imagine this will be the toughest part but hopefully the results will be worth the short term sacrifice.

2) EXERCISE:- As regular readers will know for the last couple of months I have ditched the gym in favour of jogging.  Whilst jogging is a fantastic exercise with multiple health benefits, it does not have the same muscle building properties that resistance training can provide.

Therefore, over the next three weeks I plan to return to the gym and train hard.  I plan to do a combination of resistance training and HIIT (high intensity interval training).  On top of this I am going to make sure I exercise everyday of the week.  This should allow me to build stronger, more toned muscles before I get to Brazil and also promote further fat burning.  Again I imagine this to be a tough, tiring exercise regime but I think I can manage it for three weeks.

As I said at the beginning of this post I imagine the next three weeks will be very interesting.  It probably will not be that much fun sticking to the diet and exercise plan.  Although I only eat junk food in moderation I still think it will be very tough staying away from it completely for three weeks (particularly alcohol as I do have a birthday night out coming up just before I go to Brazil).  I also imagine that exercising at a reasonably high tempo everyday will be exhausting.  However, it will be very interesting to see how much of a change this routine makes to my body composition.

I am not expecting to get as ripped as Cam Gigandet or Brad Pitt in the roles discussed above as I think I have been away from the gym too long to build the required muscle.  However, I think this routine will allow me to get my body fat levels to the lowest they have ever been and hopefully give me some impressive abs for my holiday.  Whatever the end result it will be a good challenge and as I said before it will be a very interesting three weeks.

You can download your very own copy of “The Vacation Body Blueprint” by clicking here.  Once you have read the report I would love to hear how it worked for you by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post.  It would also be good if you could leave Rusty a comment at his blog too so that he knows how his report is working for you.  I will follow up on this post in three weeks and let you know how “The Vacation Body Blueprint” has worked for me.  Wish me luck :-).

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/vacation-body.html/feed 6 The Free Fitness Tips Bank Holiday Action Plan http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/bank-holiday-action-plan.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/bank-holiday-action-plan.html#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:06:57 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=1343 A woman eating a handful of cookies

“If you eat something and no one sees you eat it, it has no calories.” – Brain Candy Website

If only the above quote were true it would be a lot easier to stay fit and healthy when the holidays come around.  If you live in the UK then you will know that today is a bank holiday which means many people will be off for days out to see their families, visit the zoo or go to a theme park.  Whilst there is nothing wrong with taking time to relax and enjoy the day off work, bank holidays do often cause people to stray from their normally very good eating and exercise habits.  One bad day is not going to destroy your fitness regime but on the flip side it is helpful to minimise the impact a bank holiday might have.  That is why today I have come up with ‘The Free Fitness Tips Bank Holiday Action Plan’.

1) TRY AND FIT IN SOME EXERCISE DURING THE DAY:- If you are going for a day at the zoo or a theme park then this will not be a big issue.  On these sorts of trips you generally do a lot of walking which will allow you to enjoy a number of cardiovascular benefits and burn a decent number of calories.  In fact you will probably do more walking than you would on a regular work day in the office.

However, if you are visiting your relatives it is often a different story.  Most family visits involve lots of sitting around and talking which is great for catching up with family members who you have not spoken to for a while but not so great for your fitness plan.  There are two main ways to squeeze in some physical activity on days like these.  First, you can get up early and go for a jog or hit the gym before you make your trip.  Alternatively, you can suggest a physical activity that the whole family can enjoy.  This could include a family walk, a team game such as soccer or even a multi-player game of Wii fit.

2) PREPARE HEALTHY FOOD WHERE POSSIBLE:- If you are making a long trip this bank holiday then you will probably be snacking on the way or maybe even stopping for lunch.  Packing a selection of healthy foods such as vitamin rich fruits and vegetables will ensure that you eat healthy foods on your travels.  Plus, it will help you avoid unhealthy, high calorie foods such as chocolate, crisps, chips and burgers that are found in the majority of service stations.

3) RESIST TEMPTING FOODS:- If you go to the zoo or a theme park this bank holiday then tempting foods are all around.  No matter where you look there will always be candy floss, chips, burgers, hot dogs or other tempting foods on sale.  If you visit your relatives then this creates similar problems as in most cases you will be constantly offered cakes, cookies and chocolates by your host.

So how do you resist these tempting foods?  Well if you are on a trip away following tip number two and preparing your food can play a big part.  If you already have your lunch with you and ready to eat there is no reason to purchase extra food from these vendors.  However, if you are visiting relatives it is going to be a bit tougher.  It is not very polite to bring your own food and eat that instead of what your family has prepared.  Instead you will need to exercise some willpower and learn to say no to tempting treats.  By all means allow yourself to have a slice of cake or a piece of chocolate but just make sure that the one treat does not turn into an all out binging session.

4) DON’T WORRY IF IT DOESN’T GO TO PLAN:- Ultimately, bank holidays are a one off and in fitness terms at least do not represent a normal day.  Whilst it is nice to be able to do some exercise and eat reasonably healthy on these days, it is not a disaster if this does not happen.  No matter how well you plan, sometimes these plans fail.  For example, you could get up early to go jogging and find the roads are too icy to jog safely.  You might find that despite your best intentions you end up overindulging on unhealthy foods.  You could try and organise a family game of soccer only for everyone to insist that you stay indoors and watch a film.

Whatever happens it is not going to spell the end of your fitness regime.  One off day is a minor obstacle at the most.  Ultimately, the bank holiday is a time for you to relax and enjoy your day off work.  If your fitness plan suffers in the process simply write it off as a bad day and prepare to get back into your regime of healthy eating and regular exercise tomorrow.

I hope you found the above bank holiday action plan useful.  Days like today are usually a difficult time for exercising or eating healthy but hopefully the above tips make it a little easier for you.

What do you guys think about this bank holiday action plan?  Have you got any additional tips you would like to add to the list?  Do you agree with making bank holiday plans or do you prefer to treat them as a day off from your fitness plan?  Let me know by commenting at the bottom of this post.

Sources:
Brain Candy Website

*****

If you enjoyed this article you might also like my ebook Lose Weight for the Holidays.  In this ebook I discuss how a three pronged attack can be used to help you stay healthy and keep excess body fat at bay during the various holiday periods that arise throughout the year:

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/bank-holiday-action-plan.html/feed 6 Merry Christmas from Free Fitness Tips http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/merry-christmas-2008.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/merry-christmas-2008.html#comments Thu, 25 Dec 2008 07:00:33 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=931

Hello Everyone.  I’m just leaving a quick post to wish you all a Merry Christmas.  This blog has grown a lot this year and that is down to the continued support of my readers.  I hope you all have a wonderful day, enjoy spending time with your family and get to have a rest after a tough year.

This month I have been writing about how you can keep your diet and fitness regime on track over the festive period.  I started the month by writing about the common cold & the flu and then moved on to discuss whether vitamin C can help reduce your chances of contracting them.  I then moved on to discuss how a good diet can help strengthen your immune system.  Next I wrote about seasonal affective disorder (SAD) a form of winter depression and how food can have a significant effect on your mood over the festive period.  Following this I talked about why sleep is so important over Christmas.  I then discussed 6 Christmas exercise ideas and 5 outdoor exercises you can do if you have the snow and you’re up to it.  After this I provided you with 4 top tips to improve your mood over the festive period.  I then finished off with a discussion of how important vitamin D is over Christmas and gave you 8 ideas for lightening your Christmas dinner.

I hope you have enjoyed these articles and that they help you keep some form of fitness routine going during the potentially tricky holiday period but if not don’t worry.  Today is about being able to rest and relax in good company – not watching what you eat and going to the gym.  If you have taken advantage of these articles that’s great.  If not it’s only one day and it’s not going to negate a year’s worth of fitness training.  Enjoy your Christmas day and make sure you have a good one.

*****

Want an early Christmas present?  Click the banner below to grab a copy of Lose Weight for the Holidays:

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/merry-christmas-2008.html/feed 13 4 Top Tips for Improving your Mood this Christmas http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/4-tips-for-improving-your-mood.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/4-tips-for-improving-your-mood.html#comments Sat, 20 Dec 2008 19:43:37 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=910

In my last few articles I have been discussing how our mood often suffers at Christmas.  Not only do we have the stress of organising gatherings with family and friends, buying presents and the cold weather to deal with but we also have an increased chance of catching the common cold or the flu.  On top of this research has shown that the lack of sunlight in the winter months can lead to a type of winter depression called Season Affective Disorder (SAD).  However, it’s not all doom and gloom.  There are a number of things you can do to ensure your mood stays positive over the festive period.  In this article I will be providing you with four top tips for improving your mood this Christmas.

1) DO SOME EXERCISE:- Exercise causes the body to release endorphins and serotonin both of which help improve your mood.  So if you are feeling down at any time over Christmas why not go for a walk or head down to the gym?  Not only will you be burning those calories away but you could also cheer yourself up.  If you can brave it then try some of these winter activities.  Otherwise read about my 6 Christmas exercise ideas to ensure that you remain active over the festive period.

2) WATCH WHAT YOU EAT:- The food you eat does not just affect the size of your waist.  It can also affect your immune system and your mood.  Therefore, try and incorporate these foods into your Christmas diet.  Not only are they healthy choices but they could have a positive impact on your mood too.

3) GET SOME QUALITY SLEEP:- Getting enough sleep is important all year round but it is perhaps extra important over Christmas.  Due to the lack of sunlight in the winter months it is often difficult to wake up in the mornings so you really need to make sure you are getting at least 7 hours a night over the festive period.  Try to have a consistent bedtime which allows you to get a good amount of sleep and 30 minutes before this bedtime start winding down by turning off electrical items, brushing your teeth, turning out the lights and getting into bed.

4) GET A LIGHT BOX:- As I said at the start of this article winter can lead to a form of winter depression called SAD.  For some people this leads to mild feelings of depression but for others it is a lot more severe.  The cause of SAD is the low levels of light in the winter months.  One way to treat this condition is to get a light box.  You then sit two or three feet away from this light box for a couple of hours each day and you should notice improvements in your mood within three to four days.

Your mood is very likely to suffer over Christmas.  However, by following the measures discussed in this article you can stay chirpy over the festive period.  Exercise regularly, eat well, get your sleep and if necessary get a light box.  Hopefully, this will lead to you having a happy holiday period.

Do you guys have any further tips?  Does your mood ever suffer over Christmas?  If so leave me a comment.

*****

Want an early Christmas present?  Click the banner below to grab a copy of Lose Weight for the Holidays:

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/4-tips-for-improving-your-mood.html/feed 7 5 Outdoor Exercises you can do this Christmas http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/5-christmas-outdoor-exercises.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/5-christmas-outdoor-exercises.html#comments Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:59:08 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=915

In my previous article I discussed 6 Christmas exercises that you can use to stay fit over the festive period.  In that article I suggested that you join a gym, get some exercise DVDs or get a Wii fit so that you can exercise in an indoor environment that is warm and light.  However, if you can brave the winter weather and the cold outdoors there is plenty of scope for exercising outside this Christmas.  In this article I will be discussing five outdoor exercises that you can try over the holiday period (if you are brave enough).

1) GO SLEDDING:- As long as it snows then sledding is a great Christmas exercise.  All you need is a sledge and a hill.  You can get a sledge from Amazon and your local park should be able to provide you with a big hill.  Sledding is great fun and you can involve your family and friends.  Plus, you will burn quite a few calories whilst lugging the sledge up the hill.

2) HAVE A SNOWBALL FIGHT:- Snowball fights are another great exercise and this time you don’t even need a hill.  Split your family and friends into two teams and then let the snowballs fly.  Not only will you have a fantastic time but with all the running, ducking and diving you will be getting a good workout.

3) CLEAR YOUR DRIVE:- Your drive is going to need clearing at some point but why pay someone to do it when you can do it yourself?  Shovelling all that snow will help you burn the calories.  Plus snow can get quite heavy so it’s a good muscle building exercise too.  You can even get a little creative and turn it into a game.  Split the drive into two halves and then have a race between two teams to see who can clear their half first.  Not only will you have a clear drive and a bit of extra cash in your pocket but you will also burn some calories too.

4) GO ICE SKATING:- If there’s a frozen lake in your town then your local council may convert it into a makeshift ice rink.  If so why not head down with the family and have some fun?  You can race each other, try some impromptu figure skating or simply just skate around the rink.  Whatever you choose you are sure to enjoy yourself and you will give yourself quite a good workout too.

5) BUILD A SNOWMAN:- You may not think that building a snowman is good exercise but it can be.  All the walking around, scooping snow and building the snowman can quickly lead to lots of burnt calories.  Plus, it’s a great family activity and so is perfect for Christmas day.

Personally, I don’t like the exercising in the cold.  However, if you can brave it these fun activities will provide you with some great winter workouts.  They’re also activities that kids will love which makes them a great family choice.  Even a potentially mundane activity such as clearing your drive can be turned into a fun game so long as you are a little creative.  So if you are up to it put on your hat and gloves and take your family outside to enjoy these winter workouts over the festive period.

Now I’d like to hear from you guys.  Do you have any other outdoor activities that can be performed at this time of year?  Do you prefer working out inside or outside during the Christmas period?  Leave a comment and let me know.

*****

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/5-christmas-outdoor-exercises.html/feed 10 6 Christmas Exercise Ideas http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/6-christmas-exercise-ideas.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/6-christmas-exercise-ideas.html#comments Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:08:16 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=885

As I have been discussing in some of my previous articles Christmas is a difficult time when it comes to fitness.  Tempting foods are all around, the weather is generally poor and common colds and the flu are increasingly common.  This makes it very difficult to maintain an exercise routine over Christmas.  However, if you make proper plans then you should be able to maintain a proper exercise routine.  In this article I will be providing you with 6 top tips for maintaining an exercise routine over Christmas.

1) EXERCISE IN THE GYM:- I personally exercise in the gym so this one is not a change for me.  However, if you normally exercise outside you may wish to switch to the gym over the festive period.  Whether the gym is your first choice location for working out or not it is bright and warm.  Compare this to the outdoors which are generally cold and dark and you can see why the gym is probably the best exercise location for the festive period.

2) EXERCISE IN THE MORNING:- Christmas brings with it social gatherings most of which occur in the evenings.  Therefore, you may not get to exercise as much because you are busy socialising.  If this is the case then you may have to exercise in the morning over the festive period.  You may not like getting out of bed extra early but it may be the only way to fit it in during your busy Christmas schedule.

3) GET AN EXERCISE DVD:- If you normally exercise outside and can’t face the weather but you also can’t stand working out in a gym then an exercise DVD could be the solution.  Exercise DVDs are becoming increasingly popular and there are now DVDs available which cater to a number of needs including dance workouts, yoga workouts and bodyweight workouts.  You can check out Amazon’s entire range of fitness DVDs by clicking here or have a browse of the selection I have included below.  Not only will these DVDs help you stay fit and healthy over the festive period but they also could be the perfect Christmas present for you, a friend or a family member.

4) GET WII FIT:- I’ve only tried Wii fit once at a friend’s house but it’s great fun and an excellent alternative to exercise DVDs for the gamers out there.  It has a range of types of training you can choose including balance, strength and stamina.  Plus, it has a multi-player option meaning the whole family can join in.  This would make it a great present to get out after the Christmas dinner because it will incorporate all the guests and also allow you all to get some exercise and burn some calories.

5) BE INNOVATIVE:- Despite your best intentions the holidays are extremely busy and you simply may not have the time to fit in a full workout.  If this is the case you are going to have to be innovative and make exercise part of other tasks.  Try parking your car a bit further away from work or the shops when you do your Christmas shopping, go for a brisk walk during your lunch hour or do a few quick bodyweight exercises when you find yourself with a spare few minutes.  Consistency is one of the keys to a successful exercise routine and every little bit you do will help.

6) TRY AND STICK TO A HEALTHY DIET:- Christmas is a time when we are increasingly susceptible to the common cold and the flu.  On top of this we are more likely to feel down around Christmas time.  Both of these factors are likely to lower our motivation to exercise.  If you eat a poor diet too your motivation to exercise is going to be even lower.  I know it’s tough to stick to a perfect diet over Christmas and you will undoubtedly eat some junk foods.  However, if you plan to eat healthily when you can your motivation to exercise is going to be much higher.  Try to incorporate some of these mood foods and these immune system boosting foods into your diet and you are much more likely to have the motivation needed to perform your Christmas workouts.

Most of us will have worked hard to maintain an exercise routine throughout the year so it would be a shame to let it all go over Christmas.  Yes it is a difficult time of the year in terms of exercise and yes you want to have some time to relax.  Even if you don’t do as much exercise as you normally do make sure you do some over the festive period.  By doing this you will be in a much better fitness position when the New Year comes around.

How are you guys planning to fit exercise in this Christmas?  Have you got any additional tips you would like to share?  If so please leave a comment on this post.

*****

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/6-christmas-exercise-ideas.html/feed 15 The Importance of Getting Enough Sleep this Christmas http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/getting-enough-sleep-this-christmas.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/getting-enough-sleep-this-christmas.html#comments Sun, 14 Dec 2008 14:25:10 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=881

In the winter getting out of bed in the morning becomes decidedly trickier.  Instead of waking up to clear blue skies and bright sunlight we often wake up to dark, cold, wet weather.  However, it’s not just the weather that makes us want to stay in bed.  Research suggests that our circadian rhythms change over the winter months.  In this article I will be discussing why you may feel like staying in bed all day over the Christmas period, what you can do to get yourself up bright and early and why quality sleep is so important at this time of year.

As I mentioned above the urge to stay in bed is linked to our circadian rhythm.  When night falls and the light begins to fade our pineal gland starts to produce melatonin.  This triggers to the body that it is time to shut down for the night and let the cells recharge which makes us feel sleepy.  In the morning the light that comes through our eyes acts as a trigger for the pineal gland to stop producing melatonin.  This then signals to the body that it’s time to wake up and get on with the day.  However, in winter the light in the morning is often dull or non-existent so the body does not completely stop producing melatonin.  Therefore, we do not get the same wakeup signals in winter that we do in summer which makes it more difficult to get out of bed.

Getting enough sleep is important throughout the year but that’s a topic for another article.  Over Christmas your internal clock will be making it extra difficult for you to wake up so if you have not got enough sleep the night before waking up will be nearly impossible.  Therefore, you need to make sure that you get enough quality sleep as much as possible over the festive period so that waking up is as bearable as it can be.

So how do you go about this?  First, you need to make sure that you go to bed at a consistent time which allows you to get at least 7 hours sleep per night.  When you have decided on the time you will be going to bed start winding down about 30 minutes beforehand.  Turn off the TV, brush your teeth, change into your bed clothes, turn off the lights and get into bed.  In the morning when your alarm goes off get out of bed straight away.  Don’t press snooze.  Some people also find that dawn simulators are helpful.  These are devices which go off on a timed schedule and emit increasingly intense light until it is time for you to wake up.  This can then act as a trigger for your pineal gland to stop producing melatonin even if it is still dark outside.

Getting enough sleep is something I have always struggled with.  The temptation is always there to browse the Internet or watch some TV instead of going to bed.  However, I have been getting better by following the tips in this article. I know it’s difficult but try and follow the tips in this article and get some quality sleep this Christmas.  You will feel more awake and alert and your body will thank you for the additional time it has to rest and recharge.

Now I want to hear from you guys.  Do you often struggle to get enough sleep?  Do you feel extra tired over the festive period?  Do you have any extra tips for getting enough sleep over Christmas?

*****

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