It was around 1988 that i had two weeks off training for christmas last. I said to myself “that’s it i’m having a break, no training, and eating and drinking anything i like”. After all, i felt i has “deserved it”!
Here’s what happened on my first session back.
I went on a run with plenty of hills. Approaching my first hill, which normally was not that challenging, i suddenly had a tightness in my chest, could hardly breathe and i was struggling like i have never done before!!! Needless to say, i walked up that hill for the first time ever.
My run didn’t get much better. I ran downhill for a bit, but had to walk ALL of the remaining hills. My chest remained tight the rest of the evening, and i swore there and then would i ever have a break over christmas like that again. My workouts the rest of the week were ALL challenging and unpleasant. That continued to a lesser degree the week after too.
I swore that i would never completely abandon my diet and exercise in future. I swore i would remain as active as possible, even if it wasn’t at the same level as the rest of the year.
As a childhood filled with hospital visits due to my asthma, the thought of not being able to breathe properly again was a scary one and a very bad memory brought alive again.
This is why i strongly encourage all of you to exercise right up to christmas. It’s not just the weight gain thing either, it’s simply to allow yourself to feel that much better, to breathe properly and to simply feel good.
There’s nothing wrong with having treats over christmas, we all do. The problem starts when you abandon all that you have achieved throughout the year, all of the good stuff that has made you feel amazing, and swap it for a lifestyle that will make you wheeze, feel amazingly lethargic, pessimistic, and just downright “not great”!
Simply moving more, getting in any type of exercise on a regular basis, doing things more in moderation will make the difference between an awful, slow, start to the new year and a start fuelled with real momentum that’s likely to give you a massive kickstart much more likely to lead to success.
