The 3 Holiday S's that derail your fitness (It's not what you think!)

1. SEX - That's right, Netflix n' Chill will un-swole your gym-game. One poll from 2011 suggests more than half 60 percent of people report they’re more likely to hook up in this season than at other times of the year. Sounds great right!? 'But how is that going to derail my fitness', you ask? Simple, hookups make you lonely, loneliness leads to depressive symptoms, and depressive symptoms are characterized by inactivity, reclusiveness, and negative affect: a 2010 study of 832 college students showed that 26 percent of women and 50 percent of men reported experiencing positive emotions after a one-nighter; conversely, 49 percent of women and 26 percent of men described negative feelings.

...all the pre-workout in Arnie's attic ain't going to get you to the gym when you're caught up in your feelings.

2.SLEEP - You go to holiday parties; you don't sleep. You stay the night at your relative's or friend's; you don't sleep (well). You are planning your vacation, wondering if the gift you bought your girlfriend will make her breakup with you, or regretting your actions at the office Christmas party; you don't sleep. Until you do get a chance to sleep, and then you oversleep. When you stress (always) and don't sleep soundly (always), Cortisone builds up in your body. Studies have shown that excess cortisone levels contribute to fat storage, delay muscle repair and stunt muscle growth.

...no sleep, low sleep, or poor sleep, will turn you into a soggy, deflated, holiday prune; you may as well just go wedge yourself in between the couch cushions until you start to stink.

3. CROSSFIT - nahhh, I'm just kidding...it doesn't start with an S... SAMSONITE (I was way off!) - Stay with me now. Holidays, for most of us, equals forced family interaction. And because most of us moved as far away from our family as possible, it means that we have to travel to them. Travelling requires you to pack things in travel-receptacles. Samsonite is a brand that manufactures travel receptacles...luggage...to the lay-person. When we travel, it is usually by car or by plane, which means we are sitting for hours on end. Sitting for hours on end munches up your time, your patience, and your posture. Pick whichever one of those you like for an excuse not to workout.

...hence, Crossfit = derailment of your fitness during the holidays.

Happy hunting!

@BrendanRolfe



Image Credits: http://ak-hdl.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr02/2012/12/6/14/anigif_enhanced-buzz-4968-1354823425-9.gif

Why you should be saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas"

Tis' the season for North American traditionalists to get their panties in a wad over the term 'Happy Holidays'.

You will see an inundation of Facebook and Twitter posters saying things like, "let's keep the Christ in Christmas", and other disparaging remarks about how they are going to say 'Merry Christmas', no matter what (like it is the new Crusade), instead of a non-denominational, "Happy Holidays"...mind you, many of these people are the same who believe that more guns are needed to kill terrorists, racism does not exist, and that Donald Trump as actually not a bad candidate for United States Presidency.

Well, I'm here to tell you to give your ignorant head a shake! December and January are meaningful months around the world, and Christianity does not have a monopoly on their significance. To follow is a (non-comprehensive) list to illustrate dates of importance to other cultures:

Bohdi Day (Buddhism, 500BC) - Dec 8 - A Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that the historical Buddha experienced enlightenment. According to tradition, Siddhartha had recently forsaken years of extreme ascetic practices and resolved to sit under a Peepul tree and simply meditate until he found the root of suffering, and how to liberate oneself from it. 

Pancha Ganapati (Hinduism, 3000BC) - Dec 21-25 - A modern five-day Hindu festival celebrated in honour of Lord Ganesha, Patron of Arts and Guardian of Culture. During each of the five days of Pancha Ganapati, the entire family focus on a special spiritual discipline.

Lori (Sikhism, 1500AD) - Dec 21 - A popular Punjabi festival that commemorates the passing of the winter solstice, as Lori was originally celebrated on winter solstice day, being the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

Mawlid An-Nabi (Islam, 600AD) - Dec 23/28 - The observance of the birthday of the Islamic Prophet Muhammed, which is celebrated often on the 12th day of Rabi' al-awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar:

Hanukkah (Judaism, 1300BC) - Nov/Dec - A Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev, according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.

Kwanzaa (1966AD) - Dec 26-Jan 1 - A week-long celebration held in the United States and in other nations of the Western African diaspora in the Americas. The celebration honours African heritage in African- American culture, and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving.

The point of this post is not to disparage Christianity. It is to get those of you who make closed-minded posts about the significance of this time of the year, to open your eyes and understand the exclusionary nature of comments directed towards promoting a "Christmas Only" ideology. Exclusion is the first step in ignorance, and ignorance breeds hate.


If you still feel the need to illustrate to everyone on social media that you wish to oppose all cultural values that are not your own, then to quote one of the all-time great Christmas movies, I say to you, "Merry Christmas you filthy animal...and a Happy New Year."

@BrendanRolfe


Image Credit:http://www.portland5.com/sites/default/files/events/Home%20Alone.jpg