I have such fond childhood memories of Christmas Day spent playing touch and soccer with my whole extended family, after a long Christmas lunch. Everyone got involved, my cousins, aunties, uncles and partners, it didn’t matter if you weren’t the best player or couldn’t catch a ball – it was just all for fun. 

So for the third installment of our Christmas Health and Wellbeing special, I decided that with the help of our local Personal Trainers – Pat Zandona and Linsi and Michael De’Paoli, we would put together a list of ways to keep the whole family active over Christmas.  

Embrace incidental activity: Take the stairs over the escalators, park a block away and walk to purchase those last few Christmas presents or if it’s not to far away and safe to do so – walk instead of drive to your next social event.  

RELATED: Health and wellbeing with Jess’ Christmas specials

Get the family involved: Take the kids or your pet for a walk, play a game of soccer or cricket or take a pre-Christmas dinner stroll. Family time doesn’t have to be spent sitting around a table, it can come in many different forms. 

Get an exercise buddy: Research shows that if you have an exercise buddy, you are more likely to stick to your regime. So instead of meeting up with friends at a café for coffee, order a takeaway and catch up over a stroll around the park or book a yoga session together, while you both have time off.  

Exercise isn’t just important for our physical fitness, but can be vital for our mental health. The festive season can be a time of stress and overwhelming emotion. 

We may worry about how we are going to fit everything in before Christmas, feed the large number of guests we have coming for Christmas dinner, or it could be your first Christmas without a loved one or close family member – whatever the reason, remember to look after yourself! 

If exercise is part of yourself care regime, schedule it into your calendar and priorities activities that help you feel grounded and restored, remember unless you look after yourself, you can’t look after others. 

Lastly Pat, Linsi and Michael have put together a quick Christmas circuit that can be completed anytime of the day, at home, with no-equipment. This circuit is designed to activate all your muscle groups and increase your heart rate; 

And rest for 15 seconds between each exercise and repeat three to five times 

Remember to modify the exercises were required and if you are concerned about your health, speak to your GP first.

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