So Christmas is fast approaching and we're into the final leg of 2016, a time to reflect on the past year and achievements made whether eating healthier, moving more, embarking on a new course/passtime or whatever change for the better you have made in 2016, no a smaller wine glass does not count!
I hope in some small way the Health Ezine has inspired or encouraged you to live a healthier life in mind and body, so no bingeing on box setsduring daylight hours over Christmas as this is bad news for your energy levels.
You need to get outside, even for ten minutes as the natural light and fresh air makes you feel more alert, so time to press pause... but equally it is important to take time out and... relax, so I hope you all enjoy your Christmas freebie!
The festive season is upon us, and that can only mean diet debauchery, abandoned fitness regimes and binging on tv. But it doesn't have to be this way. With a little bit of get off your tail end, it is possible to enjoy Christmas and start the New Year feeling fit, not fat.
Lots of us fall away from exercise or even moving at Christmas, assuming there is no point in starting until the New Year, but given that one of the biggest barriers to exercise is lack of time, a break from routine can give us the opportunity to do some form of exerciser, I'm not asking you to go snowboarding but you could:
get out walking
go to the pool
get on your bike
Staying active over Christmas:-
reduces weight gain
energise you
reduces stress
So c'mon check out ways to exercise in winter!.You'll feel better physically and mentally if you keep active over the winter months. Take a look at health benefits of staying physically active.
'Tis the season of tasty foods. The average person puts on three pound during the holidays. And if you're on a special diet because you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, holiday dishes can be especially tricky.
But you can enjoy yourselfand make good choices, if you know which items are naughty or nice! so don't let hair grow on your fruit bowls over christmas!
Gorging on favourite holiday foods can widen your waistline, but they don't have to spell dietary disaster. In fact, some of your guiltiest pleasures may be good for you!
Christmas, a time of happiness and family...but for some it be a stressful time that can be tough on your mental health with issues including:
alcohol
bereavement
money worries
relationships
A new mental health campaign called ‘Helping others’ has been launched by the Public Health Agencyin partnership with NIAMH.
The TV advert ‘Life changing’encourages the public to reach out and support someone they know who may be experiencing mental health problems.
Asking, listening and talking to someone with a mental health problem can start them on the road to recovery. Just a few words can make a massive difference.
Are you uncomfortable when someone complimentsyou? most of us are, like one of the Trade Team out on the town being complimented on their christmas jumper!,the reply was "Primark £10" now they were told they paid too much!!! but the point is why do we find taking a compliment embarrassing!
The first step is not to see compliments as the enemy of modesty. And to realise that thanking someone who pays you a compliment isn't going to give you a jumbo-sized ego. Actually they're a form of personal growth, a form of validation. Check outhow to take compliments...
So start by resisting the urge to reject a compliment, by thinking more positivelyabout ourselves, and retrain the way you think.
When we're not used to receiving complimentsmaybe it's because we're not used to giving them either!!!. So, go on, spread more praise around, then when it's your turn to get some of the good stuff back, you'll be a bit braver at saying "thank you",a simple but powerful phrase. Like any muscle, it will strengthen with use!.
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