Geelong’s Gym

Continuing on from our last post, let’s look at some other ways that the Twelve Days of Christmas can remind us of some gifts we can give our bodies.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven swans a-swimming…

Did you know that the swan is considered to be the Bird of Light?  Light reminds me of the sun and the importance of Vitamin D to a healthy body and the maintenance of strong bones, musces and teeth.  Our bodies only store enough Vitamin D to last between 30 and 60 days, so it’s really important that we get outside (being sun smart of course) throughout the year.

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me eight maids a-milking…

I’m sure you know where I’m going to go with this one.  Diets rich in milk and milk products help build and maintain bone mass throughout the life cycle.  This is especially important during childhood and adolescense when bone mass is being built.  And for those who are approaching the older years, strong bone mass may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis.  This doesn’t have to be full cream milk either, low-fat or fat free options are just as good for your bone mass. 

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me nine ladies dancing…

Nine Ladies Dacing

Many people when they think of dancing immediately think of ballet and girls in tutus.  But believe me, that’s not all dance is about these days.  There are many different forms of dance, most of which provide a fantastic way of staying fit and healthy, while still having fun.  If you don’t believe me, come along and try a Geelong’s Gym Body Jam class and discover the amazing workout that a variety of dance genres will give you.  Trust me, you’ll break a sweat and have fun doing it!

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ten lords a-leaping…

Have you ever watched kids jumping and leaping around on a trampoline?  It looks so easy but it’s actually a great form of exercise.  Jumping with a jump rope is a fantastic way to increase your heart rate and get your blood pumping.  Or take a leaf out of the kids’ book and get on a trampoline.  Ten minutes of jumping is the equivilent of 30 minutes of running!  Yes, you did read that right!  So is anyone adding a trampoline to the Christmas list?

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me eleven pipers piping…

Did you know that the Scots used to carry bagpipes into battle with them?  In fact, there is strong evidence to suggest that bagpipes were present at the great Battle of Bannockburn back in the 14th century.  I can imagine that the pipers came together just before the battle started and played played a rousing, stirring rendition of songs such as Scotland the Brave.  I’m sure that there was nothing more motivating or inspiring to propel them into fierce battle.  If you need that extra bit of motivation when you’re working out, try loading some strong songs with a good beat onto your ipod and see what a difference it makes.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve drummers drumming…

In many cultures drums are a symbol of power and if you’ve ever been at a concert where the drummer has done a solo I’m sure you would agree with that, because you can feel every beat reverberate through your body.  If you’re struggling with your workouts, put some music on with a strong drum beat in it, listen for a moment and let the power of the drumming flow through your body.  Then let that power come out in your workout, let it motivate you to push harder and stronger than you ever have before.  Remember, having a good workout is 90% about having the right mindset.  If you’re thinking power, then you’ll produce power!

As we rapidly approach Christmas, have a good break but don’t forget to take care of the health and well-being of your body – you’ll have a better Christmas for it. 

All the team at Geelong’s Gym would like to wish you a safe, happy and healthy Christmas and New Year.

Unless you’re the Christmas Grinch I’m sure you’ve heard the popular Christmas song, The Twelve Days of Christmas.

In the lead up to Christmas I thought we’d have a look at the 12 gifts in this song and how they can be a gift to the health and well-being of your body (or not as the case may be!).

Christmas - a time for joy and laughter

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree…

Did you know that according to Greek legend the first partridge appeared when Daedalus threw his nephew, Perdix off the roof in a fit of jealous rage?  Now I’m not advocating that you add nephew tossing into your fitness repertoire, but something you may not know about partridges is that they are seed eaters?  If you want to increase your metabolism and keep your brain alert, try snacking on seeds, such as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, in between meals.

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me two turtle doves…

Turtle doves symbolise love and deep friendship.  During this Christmas season, take the time to show those you care about how much they mean to you.  Sometimes the end of the year and the lead up to Christmas can be stressful and the ones who usually bear the brunt of your stress are those you love the most.  I’m sure you’ll have a much happier and healthier Christmas if you show a little extra love to your friends and family.  And if you’re really struggling to get rid of that stress, come along to a Yoga Class at Geelong’s Gym and watch it just melt away.  I’m sure your family will thank you for it!

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me three french hens…

Did you know that french hens are actually a variety of chicken in France?  Chicken is a low fat protein and is, in fact, one of the best sources of protein.  However, if you suffer from heart disease or high cholesterol then chicken is something you should try to avoid or at least eat very little of – chicken has a considerable amount of cholesterol, almost as much as red meat.  So check with your doctor before you indulge in a whole lot of roast chicken on Christmas day!

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me four calling birds…

Here’s an interesting fact for you… in the original version of the song the calling birds are actually “collie” birds, a variety of black bird in England.  Does anyone remember the song Sing A Song Of Sixpence where the black birds were served as a meat pie?  Now it’s difficult to find many health benefits in pie, since it’s loaded with buttery pastry and many other things we shouldn’t be eating.  But let’s face it, Christmas is a time when we should be able to loosen up a little and if necessary open the top button of our pants to create a little more room.  Let yourself indulge a little, because you can always work it off in the gym in the New Year.  Afterall, that’s what New Year resolutions are all about!

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me five golden rings…

I bet you’re wondering how I’m going to turn gold rings into a health benefit, right?  Well aside from the weekly massages you could probably demand if you gave  your true love a gorgeous ring, there are actually some health benefits to wearing rings, or copper ones at least.  Copper has been used to promote health since ancient times, although the greatest benefit it has is through ingesting small amounts as recommended by a doctor.  However, there are many people who swear by wearing copper jewellery to target specific areas and alleviate things like arthritis.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me six geese a-laying…

Once again we’re back to food, which I guess isn’t that surprising considering so much of Christmas revolves around eating!  Goose eggs are highly sought after, especially since they’re much larger than your ordinary chicken egg.  But I’m sorry to say that goose eggs are incredibly high in cholesterol and so for the greater good of your body, I recommend staying away from these.

Tune in next blog post for the remaining six days of Christmas.