I excitedly met a great friend in Dublin last weekend. We hadn’t seen each other in a while, as life had just ticked by without either of us glancing at the clock. Christmas offers us all some extra time to invest in our neglected friendships, when things naturally slow a little. This reduction in pace allows us to wind down, and that is what both of us needed as we trotted out his front door at 5pm.
“Dinner and a few quiet pints”, was the agreed upon plan. In my own mind I had aimed for two pints of Guinness, and maybe three, if things were moving along well and the craic was being had.
From the moment we sat down for dinner, it was a typical case of non-stop talking about our lives, and reminiscing about our younger days and the fun we had. When you know someone for almost twenty years, it’s never awkward. The listening and the chatting are so natural and smooth that you both just go with the flow of the conversation. It is these conversations, that cannot be had over the phone, that instantly reconnect you together again. Problems were shared, advice was given and laughs were had.
It all happened because Christmas allowed us to give each other some of our time. That is one of the precious gifts that Christmas brings. We have time off work and shops are closed, so we tend to look towards the people in our lives for fun and connection.
Phones certainly have the opportunity to suck us into the virtual world, but with less overall distractions, people have a chance to take notice of each other again. And it really is a great feeling, being deep in conversation with another human being for hours.
Social situations are usually mixed with alcohol, and Christmas is the big danger time. The excitement you get from meeting old friends, and perhaps visiting different places, adds a great deal of energy and enthusiasm. This may make people drink that bit quicker, which can lead to getting very drunk, spending too much money, and writing off the whole following day because of a banging headache!
Heading Out? Here are some tips to think about:
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Avoid Rounds
This is a surefire way of spending every penny you have while more than likely drinking at a faster pace than you’re used to (There’s always one person finished their drink way before everyone else, who gets up to order the next round before you know it).
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Alternate Pints and Bottles
If you’re are a fan of drinking pints of beer, try switching to a bottle of beer every second drink. At the end of a night you’d be surprised at how much less beer you’ve consumed (330mls vs 500mls for each drink).
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Sneak-in Some Water
Alcohol is a diuretic which causes fluid to be eliminated from the body. This may cause dehydration, which will lead to a terrible hangover in the morning if you neglect or forget to drink some water during the night. I usually try to drink at least four or five glasses of water when I’m out. Just order it when you are ordering your drink. It will usually arrive first, so drink it while you wait for your alcohol. It’s free, and no one will ever know!
As a fitness professional, I don’t like to drink that often. I just find that it always takes me about three, or even four days to get back to the energy level I had before my big night out. Exceptions are made, however, at special times which is why I found myself leaving the pub very near closing time last weekend. If this wasn’t bad enough, (for guys that were only going for a few drinks) the allure of the local chipper was just too much for two men with their minds caught up in a Guinness haze.
In we sauntered, and were immediately smacked across the face by that delicious greasy salt and vinegar smell! Someone with alcohol running through their veins is almost powerless to this.
We kept ourselves together enough to only sensibly and proudly order two bags of small chips. When they arrived, they were nothing but small! Two huge bags were plopped down into our awaiting arms and off we went for our fifteen-minute walk home, mesmerized by their texture, taste and smell. I simply couldn’t stop until every salty crumb was devoured.
It’s crazy the things that tasty food can do to your brain. The moment that last tiny chip entered my mouth, the guilt set in. I knew I shouldn’t have eaten them all, but there was nothing to be done now except go inside for a nice cup of tea!
My one tip for ordering from a fast food restaurant over Christmas is to only order for one. If there are two of you, decide together and only order enough for one. At a time like this you really only want the taste. It’s rare that you are absolutely ravenous. If you decide to do this before you start drinking, then better choices will be made once that smell hits you.
So there I was, with a head full of booze and a belly full of chips, sitting at my friend’s kitchen table drinking tea at 2am. I was already planning my recovery. I knew exactly what I had to do first thing in the morning to attack the imminent hangover.
The Hangover Plan
- Set your alarm for 30 minutes before it’s wake up time so that you can drink 500mls of water there and then. Go back for a snooze.
- Wake up and drink 100mls of water before immediately doing a 12 minute HIIT session in your pyjamas next to your bed. Yes, this will hurt, but it will get your body moving, your heart rate up and increase your breathing, which lets your body know that it’s time for your day to begin.
- Have a regular shower but finish with at least 30 seconds ice cold. Again, you are activating your body and switching it on for the day ahead.
- Have a great breakfast of protein and fats (scrambled/poached eggs), carbohydrates (toast), and vitamins and minerals (spinach and a glass of orange juice).
With treats and chocolates being constantly offered, and alcohol being readily and freely available everywhere you go or visit, it can be difficult not to over indulge a little at Christmas. If it happens, dust yourself off and work on getting your energy levels back up again.
Training will be your best friend to keep you feeling and looking strong throughout it all. Just don’t stop working out! If what happened to me, happens to you this holiday season, just remember you’re not the only one in that situation, and there are ways of getting you back feeling wonderful again.
Have a very Happy Christmas and enjoy some marvelous times with friends and family!