The festive period is a time associated with excess; most notably on the food front. It’s a time for letting loose a little, enjoying time with family and friends and of course eating some seriously hearty meals! As a result of the ever present chocolates, snacks and other tasty morsels it also tends to have a pretty negative impact on the waistline. This needn’t however be the case; a bit of effort here and moderation there can leave you feeling full, festive and fit...without taking the merriment out of Christmas:

Keep Up Your Existing Exercise Routines

Just because your daily routine may be slightly different at this time of year doesn’t mean you should drop your usual exercise. In fact, if you’re off work then there’s even more opportunity to pop down to the gym or go out for a run. Remember that regular exercise invigorates body and mind, with extra food and alcohol likely to be on the cards, getting your regular dose of exercise in can help to stave off lethargy and fatigue.

Don’t Give In...Too Much

We all need to treat ourselves on occasion and Christmas is the ideal time to do it...everyone else is for a start! The key is not necessarily saying ‘no’ but more so knowing when to say ‘stop’, a chocolate or two is an inevitability, just make sure you don’t get carried away. As with most things, moderation is the key here.

Hit the Veggies

One of the saving graces of Christmas fayre is the consistent presence of vegetables. Yes Christmas dinner may be an unrelenting hulk of a meal but it is laden with sprouts, carrots, parsnips, peas and other fibrous, nutritious titbits. Be sure to help yourself to a hefty portion of vegetables and you’ll feel full, content and less guilty on boxing day. 

Walk it Off

Following the heavy Christmas dinner many families exercise the festive tradition of going for a walk. This is a great idea for all (provided you wrap up warm and wear appropriate footwear), it will not only prevent the post-dinner slump but also invigorate you and help to burn off some of those excess calories- an hour long walk at a leisurely 2 miles an hour pace will typically burn off around 200 calories.

Take it Easy with the Alcohol

Many of us enjoy a tipple at this time of year, it is however vital to once again consider the importance of moderation. Not only is binge drinking harmful in itself but alcohol is also highly calorific. There’s no use in holding off on tasty morsels if you are then going to drink yourself into oblivion- for many reasons. A glass of wine here and there is certainly going to do you no harm, (provided there’s no risk of drink driving as a result) just bear in mind that even these occasional glasses add to your calorific intake.

With the UKs roads, rail network and airports all struggling to compete with the persistent ice and snow, this December threatens to be a torrid time for British businesses. Despite the lesson taught by the prolonged cold snap which hit the country in January, it seems that preparations have been somewhat lacking with regard to the transport infrastructure and the chilly white flakes have had more of an impact than they need have. Whilst those countries who are accustomed to snow for a large proportion of the year appear to make us look foolish for our apparent collapse in the face of a few inches of snow- it is important to bear in mind that with the myriad governmental and council cuts, the country just can’t afford to invest in the equipment and labour to facilitate a seamless continuation of transport services when the ice and snow hit.

Supposing that this weather continues, many businesses face a series of problems, most notably high street retailers. Staff absences are likely to increase, whilst retailers will suffer a shortfall in footfall and increasing numbers of businesses will consequently experience plummeting revenue during the historically rich Christmas shopping period. In stark contrast to the potential pitfalls facing high street retailers, online commerce could well experience a noticeable upturn at the expense of their rivals who rely upon physical locations. With many consumers reluctant to brave the elements in order to purchase their Christmas gifts, online shopping is likely to build upon its already growing popularity and pick up the slack from the high street slump. This activity mirrors the year-round shift towards online purchase in areas such as office supplies, books and travel.

Many other businesses who do not operate in the retail sector are also finding ways around the transport problems posed by the current weather. Allowing staff to work from home (provided they can perform their role remotely) is a highly effective means of bypassing the absenteeism issue. Not only does it mean that staff members who would otherwise have been unable to make it into the office are still able to work, having staff work from home is also a great exercise in trust building. Furthermore, studies have demonstrated that those who work from home are often more productive than their office based counterparts as they are able to create the work environment which best suits them, do not waste time commuting and often work extra hours. Through email, Skype and remote desktop function it is as though the remote worker is several desks away as opposed to many miles.

Although the snow may be wreaking havoc on commuters right now, if the business landscape changes to embrace the growth in online activity and the opportunities presented by allowing staff to work from home, then maybe next time there will be fewer commuters to affect.