With more than 5,000 calories in the average Christmas dinner, experts at Kent have provided good advice for burning off the excess.
While it’s only natural to want to get fit after over indulging at Christmas, research by the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences has provided both warnings and good advice in equal measure.
Dr Glen Davison, an expert on optimal health and performance, cautions that, while exercise is of course good for you, pushing too hard (or increasing activity too quickly) could have the opposite effect – which is why many elite athletes pick up coughs and colds more than their generally fit and healthy counterparts.
He explains that the typical New Year’s resolution period coincides with the peak cold and flu season, so extreme changes in training (and perhaps diet) where many people are trying to ‘undo’ their festive overindulgence could increase the risk of them becoming ill.
While colds and flu are minor illnesses, they could be enough to increase drop-out or poor adherence to exercise. A healthy and balanced diet (avoiding extreme and fad diets) and appropriate management of exercise training load are recommended instead. See Nutritional and Physical Activity Interventions to Improve Immunity for research in this area by Dr Davison.
Dr John Dickinson, a leading expert in breathing in elite athletes, warns to watch out for asthma triggers if exercising in the cold. A cold, dry environment is a common problem for people with asthma wanting to keep fit over the winter months but the environment should not prevent a physically active lifestyle.
However, anyone with asthma who wants to exercise must ensure they protect their airways with adequate medication. In addition to inhaler therapy, medical advice recommends exercising indoors to avoid the provocative environment.
And finally, research from endurance expert Professor Samuele Marcora suggests that exercise could be made to feel easier by using caffeine or other psychoactive drugs. See Can Doping be a Good Thing? Using Psychoactive Drugs to Facilitate Physical Activity Behaviour for Professor Marcora’s work in this field.