GO ON, ADMIT IT. IT’S NOT JUST YOUR GOOSE THAT’S BEEN GETTING FATTER IN THE RUN UP TO CHRISTMAS. BUT DON’T PANIC. WE’RE HERE TO RESCUE YOU FROM LOVE HANDLES AND SPILLAGE — WITH A GREAT NEW FESTIVE HEALTH REGIME

As the festive season approaches, fancy frocks are being dusted down that might not have left your wardrobe since last year.  Sadly, there’s a fair chance that it won’t fit quite the same as it did last year. Your lack of investment in exercise and an over-indulgence in the sweet and alcohol cupboard have put paid to that.

Recognising this, slick marketers have developed “Spanx underwear”. These luxurious body-shapers are on a mission to rescue women from love handles, spillage and cellulite and are billed as the best body-enhancing invention ever.  They act as scaffolding, and squeeze all your fat into your undergarments so your naughty food indiscretions of the past year won’t be exposed.

Insecurities

But gizmos that exploit women’s insecurities are not the answer. We need to look at treating the causes of the weight gain instead of covering up the symptoms.  After all, if the leaves on a tree went brown, spray-painting them green again wouldn’t make them right. Any botanist will know that you must look to the roots — whether the tree is getting sunlight, water and the relevant nutrition. Your body is no different and you cannot sweep all your problems under the carpet.

Our expanding waistlines are a result of our indulgence in processed foods, white flours, cereals and breads.  Our search for quick fixes is not confined to our clothes, we have changed from a country eating fresh meat and vegetables to a fast-food nation.  Microwaved meals stored in plastics destroy the nutrients of the food and there’s a chance that the plastic can melt dangerous chemicals into our food.

As a nation, we have become lazier, with sedentary lifestyles involving spending hours watching TV, drinking glasses of vino and munching late night snacks. Men have become armchair critics of sport rather than playing it themselves.  Gym members often seek quick-fix solutions such as vibrating machines or the latest shiny treadmills, and gyms often feel they have to accomodate these expectations. So take matters into your own hands. Make a decision to exercise and choose a level of intensity that will get results.

Since we either use muscle or lose muscle, it is important to exercise regularly. There are 168 hours in a week and the minimum you should do is three hours.  It will be your best investment ever because if you don’t make time now you won’t have time later. Gravity will always be there but if you exercise you will have your own ‘butt’ covered!