Christmas is a stressful time for most – the presents, the queues, the expectations, the busyness, the pressure… Not to mention the visiting mother-in-law you have to put up with.
Sadly once we’re all grown up, Christmas is no longer the same magical, carefree time of year that it was in our childhood. And holiday stress becomes as much of a tradition as the presents under the tree.
On top of all this, your chances of gaining weight over the festive season are pretty high. If you ate just one tiny mince pie every day leading up to Christmas without making up for it with extra exercise, you would be about a kilo heavier by the end of December. How’s that for scary? And once you’ve put it on, losing the Christmas load isn’t easy.
SOLAL, the producer of natural and effective health and wellness products, has given us five tips to avoid piling it on in the first place, and getting your body ready for the festive season.
1 Go to bed
There are two opposing hormones in your body: cortisol and growth hormone. Cortisol causes your body to store fat, while growth hormone burns fat and heals the body. Your body usually produces the most cortisol in the morning, and as the day progresses cortisol levels decline. By bedtime, cortisol levels are so low that you begin to feel sleepy, usually at around 9pm. If you don’t go to bed at this time, your body secretes a second amount of cortisol, to keep you awake. This extra cortisol not only keeps you awake, but also drives your body to store more fat. You should sleep long enough (7-9 hours), because fat-burning and tissue-repairing growth hormone is released during sleep. If you cut your sleeping time short, then you also reduce the total amount of growth hormone released.
2 Avoid alcohol, especially binge drinking
Alcohol stimulates the liver to produce inflammatory biochemicals that cause heart attacks, diabetes and weight gain. This is especially true after binge drinking. If you are going to consume alcohol, you can reduce the amount of these inflammatory chemicals released by the liver by increasing the consumption of anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric and ginger; or you can take a supplement such as milk thistle extract.
3 Get 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, most days of the week
The type of exercise that gets your heart beating faster can help you lose weight, and it significantly reduces your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.
4 Reduce sugar and refined carbohydrates
Excessive sugar and refined carbohydrates (such as bread and pasta) can increase the risk of many diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, not to mention obesity. Supplements such as Garcinia cambogia and chromium can help protect your body from the damages of sugar and carbohydrates.
5 De-stress yourself
Stress is a killer. It increases hormones that raise blood pressure, cause anxiety and even heart attacks. Developing regular stress-control techniques such as meditation, a tranquil walk on the beach or playing with your pets can really help you reduce stress levels. Two herbal supplements that can help protect your body from the effects of stress include Rhodiola rosea and Ashwagandha.
If the Christmas demands and expectations are getting too much for you, read these 7 tips for managing stress. Exercise not your thing? Here are 4 workout tips for girls who hate exercising.
