Christmas Survival - Volume 2

The second blog post in my Christmas Survival series is all about surviving the dreaded hangover which can interrupt your fitness training! Follow these tips to help you avoid a hangover at Christmas and still enjoy the party season.

Stock up on eggs

There are two toxic by-products of alcohol: shame and acetaldehyde. There’s nothing we can do about the embarrassment but a breakfast of eggs will help with the other stuff. Eggs contain cysteine, which counteracts the toxins and helps make glutathione, an antioxidant which also neutralises acetaldehyde.

Avoid the sports drinks

Sports drinks have rehydrating electrolytes but they’re often packed with sugar. Better to eat bananas, which are high in potassium, or add a little more salt to food for better hydration.

Speed sessions

Do short, sharp HiiT routines which won’t eat into your time too much. Try Mountain Climbers, Burpee’s. Squat Thrusts, Sprints, Press ups, Tricep Dips and to really rev the heart rate jump lunges or jump squats!

Mull it over

Make your own mulled wine rather than buying a sugary ready-made one. Add 75ml ginger beer, 10ml cinnamon syrup (equal parts sugar and water boiled with a cinnamon stick), 2 cloves, 30ml apple juice, the juice of half a lime, 25ml aged rum and 25ml red wine to a saucepan. Gently heat, then serve with a lime wedge.