Don't feel guilty for TAKING A WEEK OFF

This month, our fitness expert Annie Deadman on why Christmas doesn't have to derail your goals

- Annie Deadman

This is a very interesting topic and one that can be tackled from a number of angles.

First, let's get our definition of a 'week off' straight. In my mind, it's a period of time when relatives staying, drinks dos, parties and impromptu bottle-opening totally gets in the way of- or provides an excuse to dodge-your regular timetable of exercise classes, training sessions and power walks with a fitness buddy, which you have so assiduously stuck to all throughout the year.

The week off means that your output is reduced. And because Christmas is Christmas, we take our foot off the healthy pedal, our eye off the ball and our input (how much food and drink we consume) will very likely increase. I'm not making judgements, just laying out the facts, and people respond differently to the change in routine.