Christmas. The time of the year when we get enough food in to feed the whole street even though there are only you, him and the dog. The shops are only closed for one day but you know you will still be eating leftovers well into the New Year because you stocked up ‘just in case’. So, apart from not buying all the food in the first place and, let’s face it, realistically, just how much are any visitors going to eat, what can you do to counteract the over-indulgence?

Well, Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere falls in the middle of winter. And, even though in this part of the country it has been unseasonably mild, I’m sure it will get colder and there are many benefits to getting outside when the temperature plummets. Your metabolism increases as your body works harder to regulate your temperature which, in turn, means it’s more likely to burn fat. Imagine yourself wrapped up in your warmest clothes, outside with friends and family watching the kids on their new bikes or running around throwing the ball for the dog; kicking through fallen leaves and scavenging for pine cones. See? You can’t wait to get outside now, can you?

And, should Bing Crosby’s dreams come true and we actually get a white Christmas, then walking through the snow provides a great workout for your legs and core muscles as, not only do you have to lift your legs higher with each step, you also have to grip against the ground harder to stay on your feet. Think George Michael in Saas Fee, playing snowballs with his friends; making snow angels; building a snowman. You get the picture? Being outside no matter what the weather is fun – apart from when it is chucking it down with rain then it’s not so fun (still not an excuse to stay indoors, though).

When the bells chime midnight on 31^st December, maybe make a New Year’s resolution to be more active in 2016. And stick to it! It doesn’t have to be much but moving a little bit more every day will improve both your mental and physical health. Check out the Move More website for more details.

Merry Christmas!