Happy Monday

So we have finally arrived to the UK and it’s definitely a little on the chilly side. We have a high of 9°C compared to Hawkes Bay’s 29°C (as I write this).

The trip so far…

The Flights

Having a small child on a long haul flight is both great and challenging. On the positive side we got the bassinet seating which provided plenty of legroom. At the airport, families with small children seem to get priorities on all queues. (Prior to Milly, Krystie and I would always be split up into different waiting lines based upon our passports. This has often led to one of us waiting for hours for the other.)

plane

 

On the negative side. Milly doesn’t sleep well at the best of times. I don’t think the surrounding passengers overly appreciated Milly’s rendition of ‘’row row row your boat’’ at 3:30am . I may have spilt a glass of red wine all over Milly’s sleep sack. Oops.
And Milly may have had a little accident over my lap at 35000 feet.
Oh and those movies you thought you would catch up on. No chance. If anything goes on the screen one must make sure it’s cartoons.

 

LA

We stayed at Venice beach in LA. While we were there we were treated to 22-25°C … Not too bad for a December in the northern hemisphere.

venice

 

 

 

 

 

 

wholefoods

 

 

 

We did a lot of trips here

 

And I ate and drank too much of this..

venice-foods

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All in all, I thought Venice was fantastic. A dynamic neighbourhood where artists live alongside architects.  Entrepreneurs live alongside homeless folks. Great food, interesting people and a stunning beach.

Anyway on with the newsletter

Did you know the average person in New Zealand puts on around 2-5 kg’s of fat over Christmas

Now I am all for having a good knees up over Christmas and the festive period but that kind of weight gain just isn’t necessary.

Here are 3 tips to help keep the Christmas belly off.

1 – Have a workout before you party

Working out increases your metabolism and your insulin sensitivity, meaning that all of the sugar you consume while partying will go towards restocking glycogen and refueling muscles instead of converting them to bodyfat

The key here is to workout as close to party time as possible.

Here is a quick routine you can do at home

20 Bodyweight Squats
15 Push ups
20 Alternating lunges
15 Mountain climbers
10 Burpees

Complete as many rounds as you can in 20 minutes, in a circuit style fashion.

2 – Drink lots of water

Water will not only keep you hydrated but will also signal your body to release some of the toxins stored within the fat cells.

The less toxic load on your liver the more your liver can do it’s job of energy metabolism.

The key is to drink plenty of water before you head out to the party. As an added bonus try and drink one glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you have.

3 – Support your body

If you’re partying and you know you’re going to drink more alcohol than you probably should then support yourself with the right supplements.

Getting the right supplements into your body will not only mean a better functioning body but can also assist with the dreaded hangover

The key here is to get both the right supplements at the right time

Before you head out…

B vitamins. Specifically B1 and B6 which get significantly depleted with alcohol

Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps detoxify the alcohol and minimises the oxidative stress on your liver

Magnesium. Magnesium has anti-inflammatory properties that may help to reduce hangover symptoms

When you get home…

Again take B vitamins and some magnesium.

Coconut water. Great for replenishing electrolytes

Ginger. If you feel like the room is spinning somewhat and feeling nauseated then fresh ginger root steeped in boiling water can make for a stomach settling tea

After you have had a good sleep…

Exercise. If you can manage it get some exercise in, this will sweat some of the toxins out. Make sure you drink plenty of water though or you will just end up even more dehydrated

There you have it. Three simple strategies that don’t take any extra time or effort. Don’t be another statistic and be a little mindful this Christmas

Paul ‘’Off for a workout’’ and Krystie ‘’lifting your wine glass to your mouth doesn’t count as exercise’’