As the magical holiday season draws near, many of us find ourselves immersed in a flurry of festivities, delicious food, and the exchange of gifts. However, amidst the hustle and bustle, it’s essential to remember the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle. One way to fulfil this is by incorporating running into our Christmas celebrations. In this blog, we will explore the joys of running during the Christmas period, and why it’s a wonderful way to keep both our bodies and spirits invigorated.   Embrace the Festive Spirit: Running during Christmas time can be an enchanting experience that connects you with the joyful holiday ambiance. Imagine the streets adorned with colourful lights, beautifully decorated Christmas trees, and the melodious sound of carols in the air. The festive atmosphere can add a touch of magic and enthusiasm to your run, making it an unforgettable experience. Embrace the spirit of the season as you lace up your running shoes, ready to embark on your Christmas adventure.   Maintain Your Fitness Goals: Amid the tempting treats and indulgent holiday meals, keeping up with your fitness goals can be a challenge. However, incorporating running into your festive routine can help you stay on track. Running not only helps burn calories, but it also boosts your metabolism and strengthens your muscles. By setting aside time for a run during the Christmas period, you can maintain your fitness levels and offset some of the holiday indulgence. It’s a win-win situation!   Create a New Tradition: Running during Christmas can be an opportunity to establish a new tradition for yourself or your family. Consider organizing a ‘Jingle Bell Run’ with friends or loved ones. Encourage everyone to dress up in festive attire and use jingle bells as accessories. Not only will you enjoy the benefits of physical activity, but you’ll also create lasting memories and make running a fun and social part of your holiday celebrations.   Charity Runs and Fun Runs: The Christmas period is often associated with a sense of giving and spreading joy. Many communities organize charity runs or fun runs during this time of year. Participating in these events allows you to combine your love for running with contributing to a worthy cause. Not only will you be able to stay active, but you’ll also make a positive impact on the lives of others. Research local events and find one that resonates with you to embrace the true spirit of Christmas.   Stress Relief: The holidays can be a busy and stressful time for many individuals. Running provides a peaceful escape from the chaos and allows you to clear your mind. Use your Christmas run as a form of meditation, focusing on your breathing, and embracing the present moment. The endorphins released during exercise will help reduce stress levels, leaving you feeling refreshed and energized to tackle the holiday season with a newfound sense of calm.   Running during the Christmas period allows you to combine the magic of the holiday season with the benefits of physical activity. Not only can you maintain your fitness goals, but you can also embrace the festive spirit, create new traditions, participate in charity events, and find stress relief amidst the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Remember, running is not just about staying active; it is also about connecting with yourself and the world around you. So, lace up your shoes, throw on a Santa hat, and enjoy a jingle bell run that will keep your spirits high and your body in motion throughout this wonderful season.

Getting a good night’s sleep is incredibly important for your health. In fact, it’s just as important as eating a balanced, nutritious diet and exercising. The amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, most adults require between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. Yet, The average amount of sleep that people residing in the UK get each weeknight is 6.66 hours. Sleep deprivation can put your health and safety at risk, which is why it’s essential that you prioritise and protect your sleep on a daily basis. Some studies have shown sleep deprivation leaves people vulnerable to attention lapses, reduced cognition, concentration, productivity, and performance and mood shifts. Additionally, lack of sleep has been linked to a higher risk for certain diseases and medical conditions. These include obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, poor mental health even an early death… Here are a few reasons to get more sleep. – Can improve concentration, productivity and academic performances. – Can maximise athletic performance – Can strengthen your heart – Affects sugar metabolism and type 2 diabetes risk – Lack of sleep can cause inflammation – Lack of sleep can affect your emotional and social interactions – Sleep deprivation may increase your appetite and cause you to eat more calories. In particular, you’re more likely to eat foods high in sugar and fat. Try implementing the following to help improve your sleep. -Establish a realistic bedtime and stick to it every night, even on the weekends. -Maintain comfortable temperature settings and low light levels in your bedroom. -Keep a comfortable sleep environment by ensuring you have the best mattress, pillows, and sheets for your sleep preferences and body type. -Consider a “screen ban” on televisions, computers and tablets, cell phones, and other electronic devices in your bedroom. -Abstain from caffeine and alcohol in the hours leading up to bedtime. -Exercise during the day, this can help you wind down in the evening and prepare for sleep. To close, getting between 7-9hrs of sleep per night is very important for every day function and will play a big factor towards performing at your highest level throughout your day. If you feel that you want more specialised help with health, weight loss and fitness Elysium Health and Fitness provide private personal training sessions in their boutique fitness studios in Aldford, Chester and Tarporley, Cheshire. Both studios are set in rural settings to provide clients with complete privacy, perfect for those who don’t want to exercise in front of others. There are no judgements, just their full support. We are the number one private gym in Chester. For more information visit the contact, drop them an email info@elysiumhealthandfitness.co.uk, drop them a DM on Social media or give them a call 01244 620202 (Chester studio) 01829 781685 (Tarporley).

So, as we approach the end of January, it is important to remember the goals or new years resolutions we set out for 2022. Whatever your goal or resolution is, it is important that you stay on the right path throughout your journey for you to achieve what set out to complete. A good tool/method to use when setting out your goals is something called SMART. SMART is an acronym that you can apply to help guide your goal setting. Below is what each letter stands for Specific (simple, sensible, significant) Measurable (meaningful, motivating) Achievable (attainable) Relevant (realistic) Time Here are some simple tips using SMART to help you stay on the right path. Specific Your goal should be clear and specific, otherwise you won’t be able to focus your efforts or feel truly motivated to achieve it. What do I want to accomplish? Why is this goal important to me? Where is it located? Example: A bad goal would be “get fit and healthy”. A specific goal would be “I want to lose 10kg in weight ready for my wedding” Having a more specific goal will help you narrow it down even further by using the rest of SMART. Measurable It’s important to have measurable goals, so that you can track your progress and stay motivated. Assessing progress helps you to stay focused, meet your deadlines, and feel the excitement of getting closer to achieving your goal. A measurable goal should address questions such as: How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished? Example: You could measure 0.5kg of weight loss per week via tracking your calories and weighing yourself every Monday at 7am until you reach your overall 10kg weight loss goal. Achievable Your goal also needs to be attainable to be successful. In other words, it should stretch your abilities but remain possible. You want to take baby steps if you like and see early results which encourages long-term consistency. If you set something too difficult right from the start, it might be discouraging to not make progress as fast as you would like or even stop you going any further. Best as advice would be nothing happens overnight. How can I accomplish this goal? How realistic is the goal, based on other constraints such as time etc? Example: setting a weight loss goal of 0.5 per week is safe, easy to see and easily achievable, as it will only require small habit changes to your lifestyle. Relevant This is where things get a difficult for some of you. Finding your “why” is easier said than done. This step is about ensuring that your goal matters to you. It’s important to retain control over them. I want you to ask yourself ‘is this goal worthwhile, am I motivated to do it?’ Creating a goal with some type of motivation attached to it. Does this seem worthwhile? Is this the right time? Does this match our other efforts/needs? Am I the right person to reach this goal? Is it applicable in the current socio-economic environment? Example: I want to lose 10kg to look good in my wedding dress. This can give a bit of relevancy to your goal which should make you stick to it and stay on track. Time Every goal needs a target date, and you must be strict about that deadline, doing so creates urgency and focus to achieving your goal. It is also key to not set your sights too far ahead. A time-bound goal will usually answer these questions: When? What can I do six months from now? What can I do six weeks from now? What can I do today? Example: If you give yourself four months to lose 5kg, that would be too long because you aren’t incentivized to start working at it immediately. If you consider setting smaller goals like I want to lose 2kg in a month ready for my wedding So going off the above, this is what a summary of your SMART target should look like: Specific – I want to lose 10kg ready for my wedding Measurable – Tracking calories, stepping on scales ones a week (same time and day) Achievable – setting a weight loss goal of 0.5 per week that only require small habit changes to your lifestyle. Relevant – I want to lose 10kg to look good in my wedding dress. Time – I want to lose 2kg in a month Remember, nothing happens overnight, it all starts with small steps, habit changing, being consistent and disciplined. If it was easy, everyone would do it. If you feel that you want more specialised help with health, weight loss and fitness Elysium Health and Fitness provide private personal training sessions in their boutique fitness studios in Aldford, Chester and Tarporley, Cheshire. Both studios are set in rural settings to provide clients with complete privacy, perfect for those who don’t want to exercise in front of others. There are no judgements, just their full support. We are the number one private gym in Chester. For more information visit the contact, drop them an email info@elysiumhealthandfitness.co.uk, drop them a DM on Social media or give them a call 01244 620202 (Chester studio) 01829 781685 (Tarporley).

Privacy For somebody just starting a new training program, going the gym can be very unnerving or even off putting experience. Some people can find that being surrounded by lots of people in gym wear and training can make them feel like they are being watched and make them uncomfortable. It can also put people off going in certain areas and their programs for example its common some woman don’t want to venture into the free weights area of a gym. Training in a studio one to one with a fitness professional dedicated to helping you achieve your goals and get results can be a great way to get started. Some of our feedback from people that are coming to us think that training in a place with nobody else is great because it makes them feel at ease and comfortable. Consistency This point is more about a benefit of personal training in general than an actual studio however I often get told by clients that if they didn’t have a session booked in with us than they admit they probably wouldn’t train. As constancy is key to achieving success with your results, if you find yourself being very time poor having one/two/three sessions per week with somebody who is relying on you to turn up and see them makes a really big impact on your own commitment to train. Equipment Availability Never mind as a gym member but even when I was a personal trainer in a commercial gym it’s a nightmare getting on equipment especially at peak times and very often had to adapt and change my plan with that client. In a studio all programs can be completed effectively, efficiently therefore getting the most out of session instead of waiting long periods of time for availability of equipment. We always make it our priority to make you the most important person in the room and delivering excellence.  If you want to experience what personal training is like in a private studio and how we can help you. Direct message us, give us a call on 01244 620 202 or use the online form Steven Chaney