The holiday season is here!
Christmas is all about joy, family, and celebration – but it doesn’t have to mean abandoning your health goals.
Here’s how to enjoy the festivities while staying on track.
Christmas tables are often loaded with rich dishes and sugary treats. Try these simple swaps and tips:
Smart Plate Strategy
Enjoy Festive, Healthy Sides
Dessert Upgrades
Mindful Eating Tips
Impress your guests with this Fruity Christmas Tree
Recipe and image provided by Woolworths.
Ingredients (serves 8 people)
Method
Step 1
To create the tree’s internal structure, cut slices from apple ends, so it sits flat on a round board.
Step 2
Carve out a 3cm-deep hole in apple wide enough to fit carrot top. Don’t carve all the way through.
Step 3
Sit the carrot into the apple and swivel until it sits firmly in the apple.
Step 4
Use a metal skewer to poke holes into the carrot at different heights. Cut wooden skewers into different sized lengths, then stick into holes (longer ones towards the base of the tree, and small ones towered on the top).
Step 5
Stud skewers with fruit, as desired. Note: We used green grapes, kiwifruit (cut into halves and quarters, with some flesh pieces cut into star shapes), hulled strawberries and watermelon (cut into star shapes).
Fitness Gift Ideas
Looking for the perfect present for the active person in your life? Here are some ideas:
Budget-Friendly (Under $50)
Mid-Range (Under $100)
Splurge Gifts
There are many gym and fitness misconceptions out there. Let’s explore some of the most common ones.
Doing sit ups will give you abs
This is one of the most popular fitness myths around. Many people believe that doing endless sit-ups will help them lose belly fat, or that leg exercises will melt fat off their thighs.
Unfortunately, the body doesn’t work that way.
Spot reduction, the idea that you can lose fat from a specific area by exercising that part of the body, has been repeatedly disproven by research.
When you exercise, your body draws energy (calories) from overall fat stores, not just from the area you’re targeting. This means that while abdominal exercises strengthen and build the muscles underneath, they won’t directly burn the fat covering them.
To achieve visible abs or to define any muscle group the key is reducing overall body fat through a calorie deficit.
This means consuming fewer calories than your body burns over time. The principle is simple: calories in vs. calories out. Your body burns calories through three main components:
Together, these make up your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) – the total number of calories you burn in a day. There are many reliable TDEE calculators available online to estimate your daily calorie needs. By comparing your calorie intake to your TDEE, you can adjust your diet to create a sustainable deficit for fat loss or a surplus for muscle gain. In short, if you want visible abs, focus on nutrition, consistency, and total-body training, not just endless crunches.
Strength training, cardio, and a balanced diet all work together to help you reveal the muscle definition you’re building underneath.
Cardiovascular exercise is the best way to lose weight
While cardio workouts such as running, cycling, or rowing are excellent for improving heart health and burning calories, they are not the only or even the most effective methods for long-term fat loss. Relying solely on cardio can lead to plateaus and even loss of muscle mass if not paired with strength training and proper nutrition.
Strength training plays a crucial role in sustainable weight loss. Unlike cardio, which primarily burns calories during the workout itself, strength training creates a higher afterburn effect (known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC). This means your body continues to burn calories for hours even up to 72 hours after you’ve finished exercising, as it works to repair and rebuild muscle tissue.
Building lean muscle also increases your resting metabolic rate the number of calories your body burns at rest. The more muscle you have, the more energy your body requires daily, which helps make maintaining a healthy weight easier in the long run.
For best results, combine consistent strength training with moderate amounts of cardio and a balanced, nutrient-dense diet. Focus on whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, while keeping overall movement high throughout your day (like walking, stretching, or taking the stairs).
By blending all these elements, you’ll not only burn fat more efficiently but also build a stronger, more resilient body — one that looks and feels healthy well beyond the number on the scale.
Lifting weights makes you bulky
The reality is that building large, bulky muscles takes years of intentional, heavy training combined with a calorie surplus.
Most people and particularly women simply don’t have the natural levels of testosterone or anabolic hormones required to gain large muscle mass easily.
Instead, strength training helps shape and define your body, not make it bigger. It reduces body fat, improves muscle tone, and gives that “tight and lean” look many people aim for. When you lift weights you increase lean muscle mass, which boosts your resting metabolism, meaning you burn more calories even while resting. Your posture improves as well as your overall strength, making everyday movements easier and reducing injury risk.
Ironically, avoiding weights for fear of getting “big” can lead to slower fat loss and a softer look because muscle is what gives the body a toned appearance. So rather than making you bulky, lifting weights is one of the best tools for creating a strong, lean, and healthy physique.
What exactly is overtraining and is there really such a thing? It can be hard to find that right balance of healthy training, correct calories and getting the appropriate rest.
Overtraining can be a combination of constant, intense training of the same muscle group, training without adequate recovery time, not consuming enough food or getting enough sleep. All of these things can affect your physical and mental well-being.
How many times should you train per week?
This really is a case-by-case scenario however if you are showing any signs and symptoms you should speak to a health/fitness or medical professional. It could be the simplest tweak in your program, diet or rest that could alter how you are feeling and tracking towards your ultimate goals.
Signs and symptoms of overtraining
Why are rest days so important?
Rest days allow your muscles to fully recover, adapt and become stronger and give your nervous system a chance to regenerate itself. By having rest days you can reduce the risk of injury, improve your overall performance, and support healthy sleep.
On average you should be taking 1-2 rest and recovery days each week, this gives your body and muscles the appropriate time to heal and restore. This doesn’t mean you should cease all activity on rest days, try some low-intensity exercise like a walk or easy bike ride.
For an ideal plan, join our Activ8 8 Week Challenge which has an 8-week workout plan, targeting every area of the body while giving you enough rest days to fully recover for your next workout!
Are you time poor or constantly on the run? We’ve got you covered with these quick and easy snacks that are super low in calories!
Here are our top 3 healthy snack recipes to kick those afternoon cravings!
Blueberry and Almond Protein Shake
Serves 1
Ingredients
Directions
Tip: Try adding some cinnamon to spice it up a little!
Chia Cacao Pudding
Serves 1
Ingredients
Directions
Sea salt and Garlic Kale Chips
Serves 4
Ingredients
Directions
Easter is fast approaching which means there is a LOT of chocolate everywhere you look! We know it’s so tempting to grab some choccies during the holidays. Below are a few healthy recipes you can add into the mix while still enjoying a chocolate egg or two. These were made and ‘tested’ by our very our PCYC Lang Park team and YUM! 🙂
Bunny Lover Carrot and Banana Muffins
Serves 6
Ingredients
Directions
Recipe provided by Woolworths
Carrot Garden Hummus Pots
Serves 3
Ingredients
Directions
Easter Potatoes
Serves 4
Ingredients
Directions
