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Don’t Let Christmas Weigh You Down

Thursday, 10th January 2013

While Christmas is a time to think about others, the YMCA is urging locals to take some time out for themselves in the New Year and invest in their health.

Traditionally, the Christmas period is a time of overindulgence, with excess eating, alcohol consumption, busy days and late nights all working to weigh us down as we ring in the New Year. And if there’s anything Australians do not need, it’s excess weight, with 63.4% of Australians aged 18 years and over being classified as overweight or obese .

Phillip Hare, CEO, YMCA NSW, said the New Year is a good time to refocus attention on ourselves and our health in order to give ourselves the best possible start to 2013.

“Amidst all the busyness and indulgence, it’s important to take some time out and put our health first,” he said.

“As a nation, we keep getting bigger and while the Christmas period doesn’t help, we can help ourselves by making a pledge to get in shape and lose those extra festive kilos.”

To help kick-start the community’s New Year’s Resolutions, YMCA-managed health and fitness centres across the state are offering 6-week memberships for just $99 from January 14 until the end of February 2013. Newcomers to the Y will be able to trial the great range of equipment and programs and achieve their goals through the Y’s focus on member support and connection.

The Y knows how hard it can be to keep New Year’s resolutions, particularly health related-ones. As the leading provider of aquatic and leisure management in NSW, the Y offers these top 10 tips for getting results:

1. Be realistic:

A years’ worth of overindulging is not going to disappear with one week of training and eating well. Set small achievable goals, particularly in January, with things such as “I will exercise three times a week for 30 minutes” and gradually build up from there. 

2. Train with a friend:

Finding a training buddy will not only keep you motivated, it is also a great way to catch up and have some fun.

3. Don’t deprive yourself:

The more you say I am not going to have something anymore – the more you feel deprived and crave it. Instead, go with an “everything in moderation” approach such as limiting your alcohol intake to a few glasses one day a week.

4. Plan ahead:

Planning ahead is proven to be one of the greatest tools for success. Spend 30 minutes at the end of each week to plan for your week ahead. Write down what your planned meals will be and schedule your workouts into your diary.

5. Choose fun activities:

If it’s fun – you will keep doing it!  Exercising does not have to involve a treadmill or weights.  Try a Zumba class, go for a swim or play outside with the kids.

6. Say it out loud:

It is well documented that making your goals public makes you more accountable and therefore more likely to stick to your plan.

7. Celebrate your success:

Every step along your journey is one closer to your achieving your goals, so don’t wait until the end to celebrate your hard work.

8. One “blow out” is not the end of the world:

One bad breakfast or lunch does not mean that the whole day has to be bad! If you slip up, enjoy it, and then get back to being healthy.

9. Shop wisely:

Stick to whole natural foods and you can’t go wrong and never shop when you’re hungry!

10. Sleep:

Research shows that having less than six hours sleep per night can dramatically affect your appetite and make it harder for you to stick to your new healthy lifestyle.

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