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Sophie-Jane Nutrition and Personal Training

  • About Sophie-jane
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Come read about nutrition, fitness and fun! 

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Recuperating over Christmas

December 22, 2015

I don’t want to contradict my earlier blog on maintaining the balance over Christmas … I absolutely agree that you shouldn’t forget about your exercise regime totally over the holidays, and squeeze in a workout or two where you can. However … I also wanted to say how important it is to relax and take some time off to recuperate.

Our lives are typically 100mph, we go from one thing to the next – so why not take the opportunity to have a bit of time out over the holidays this year. Try doing the below to unwind and give your body some well-deserved TLC:

1.       Have a lie-in

If you read my previous post, you will know the importance of sleep for good health. It also mentioned how it is actually possible to catch up on sleep if you have been deprived of all the shut-eye you need. So don’t feel guilty staying under the duvet for an extra hour this Christmas.

2.       Try some yoga

One of the many benefits of yoga is relaxation, which is great for our mood … perfect for a nice calming experience away from all the noise and excitement of Christmas! It also gives us time to have a nice stretch – something that can be forgotten (or not prioritised) in a fitness routine, but it vitally important for injury prevention.

3.       Get a massage

De-stress this winter with a warming massage. Stress is not good for our health (for one, it increases the hormone cortisol which in large amounts can be destructive as it is a catabolic hormone that breaks things down, like our muscles … it has also been linked to stimulating appetite). Massage counteracts the stress response and initiates the relaxation response – helping to reduce muscle tension and get your body to regain homeostasis (the balance of all internal processes in the body).

4.       Time out to appreciate

Having a bit more free time is perfect to reflect on all the positives in your lives – whether that be a successful career, an amazing family, your dog, or even the miracle of being here on earth! Use this positivity to think about how you will develop yourself in the New Year and be an even better you (if that’s possible of course!!)

 

So take advantage of some time off, and incorporate some relaxation techniques into your Christmas craziness!

Oh, and have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! I will see you in 2016 for yet more blogs :)

Sophie-Jane

← A healthy chicken dish!Sleep and health →

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🧠 EXERCISE AND MENTAL HEALTH 🧠 .
I do exercise because I love it. I do it because it’s good for my body & health physiologically. I do it to meet like minded people. I do it because I like to eat 🍕. But one of the greatest benefits that is possibly more hidden is the way it makes me feel HAPPY and improves my mental health. .
Have you ever gone into a fitness class / run / swim / gym in a terrible mood, and come out feeling like you could tackle the world? ... me too 🙋🏼‍♀️💪🏻 .
The endorphins that are released with exercise are like little happy hormones - if I could bottle them and sell them I’d be a rich lady ... but I guess you can just go get them yourself by moving a bit 😉 .
The pool is definitely my place of serenity and time to myself with my thoughts - what’s your happy place?!
🥑 WEEKEND BRUNCH🥑
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Perfect post-run treat 😋 this mornings trail run was great fun (minus the LOOOONG hills) - and this was just what I needed. .
Great balance of carbs 🍞 protein 🥓 fats 🥑 and vitamins / minerals (also had a boiled 🥚 on the side!) .
Happy brunchin’ x
**WHAT TO EAT PRE-RUN**
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With the marathon coming up (and generally a lot of other run events) I thought I’d share some top tips for what to eat the morning of ...
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🥣 Go for slow release carbohydrate foods a few hours before - this can be mixed with faster releasing carbs too. Great options are porridge with seeds, fruit & honey or some whole grain toast with peanut butter & jam .
🥣 For any very long endurance events you may want a quick release (high GI) small snack within the hour before too - maybe some dried fruit or a small ripe banana
. 🥣 PRACTICE what works for you: our digestive systems are all individual, some people can handle more fibre than others for example, so make sure you practice your pre-event routine to perfect it. Try doing a practice race or training run with similar conditions to mimic race day and see how you get on - tweak what works and what doesn’t .
🥣 Hydration - energy is important, but don’t forget to start the race well hydrated (even a 2% dehydration can negatively affect performance!) - the best way to monitor if you’re having enough fluid is checking how much (volume and frequency) you pee, and the colour too (aim for lighter wee, if it’s very dark you’re likely dehydrated) (*note: don’t overdo it, you don’t want to be running to the loo loads, and don’t want to risk over-hydrating as this is dangerous - be sensible!)
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Good luck with all your sporting events!! I’m just off for my first trail race, eek! 🏃🏼‍♀️
⏱ FAST FOOD DOESN’T HAVE TO BE UNHEALTHY ⏱
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Had no food in the fridge tonight and finished run club famished but too tired to do much cooking! .
I could have easily NAILED a Dominos “Two for Tuesday”!!
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But decided to make a better decision for my body and got some fast food with a nutritional benefit! .
Bought some pre-marinated chicken breast and some mixed salad pots ... not the cheapest way to eat, but cheaper and more nutritious than a takeaway pizza 😜 .
I’m all for having treats but you can’t have them all the time, stay strong peeps, it’s only Tuesday 😉
🍝 DO YOU AVOID PASTA? 🍝
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Lots of people (including me) have been wary of eating too many processed carbs like pasta in the past ... but fresh pasta can be part of a healthy diet too! .
Pasta doesn’t have as much of a negative effect on blood glucose as thought, plus you can bulk it out with plenty of vegetables and proteins (meat, fish etc) to make sure you satisfy your appetite and don’t over eat a big portion! .
Such an easy meal to make in the evening, and is great before or after a heavy workout 💪🏻
🍝 HOMEMADE CARBONARA 🍝 .
I’ve never actually made my own sauce before 😬 🙊 ... didn’t realise how easy it was ...
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🥚 eggs 🥛 cream and 🧀 Parmesan ... and plenty of garlic & seasoning!
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We did half & half (spaghetti and courgetti) and had bacon lardons & mushrooms 😋 ... oh and of course broccoli on the side!! (My fave 🥦)
🥗 WARM KALE 🥗 .
Did you know? Heating up your kale can help to release the nutrients (it breaks down the cell walls) ... and also makes it taste so much better in my opinion too
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But be careful not to over cook ... then you’ll probably destroy a lot of the nutrients! .
I tend to put a bit of oil, lemon juice & seasoning on mine and pop in the oven for about 2-3 minutes. You’ll notice it goes a gorgeous deep green colour! .
Dinner tonight was kale, squash, chickpeas, goats cheese, pine nuts, chopped chicken sausages & coriander! 😋
  • Sophie Heath
    🧠 EXERCISE AND MENTAL HEALTH 🧠 . I do exercise because I love it. I do it because it’s good for… https://t.co/sGkhF8l6Dt
    about a day ago
  • Sophie Heath
    **WHAT TO EAT PRE-RUN** . With the marathon coming up (and generally a lot of other run events)… https://t.co/5Rm6ss9V7h
    about 5 days ago
  • Sophie Heath
    👣 LUNGES 👣 . Haven’t done walking lunges for a while ... forgot how great they are for 1️⃣ Legs… https://t.co/kldhOBsXkm
    about a week ago

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