Damage Control

Maxim fitness guru Alexa Towersey on how to deal with that extra post-festive season flab…

Despite people’s best intentions, including the more hardcore weekend warriors or athletes among us, almost everyone gains an extra layer of non-functional flab over the holiday season. But if we can’t sleep-in and over indulge without feeling guilty on our hard earnt and often “once a year only” holiday, then when the f—k can we? Let me take a paragraph to reassure you that it’s not all doom and gloom.

Aside from the fact that there’s more cushion for the pushin’, having an extra layer isn’t necessarily you getting “fat”. It’s also due to the nervous system being less “turned on”, and the amount of chronic inflammation in your stressed-out muscles and tendons being less. So, let’s just reframe the situation. Instead of getting sad that you’re getting softer, be happy that having a break from high-impact or hardcore training gives you the chance to rest or repair any niggling injuries, in your body or your mind.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW