’Tis the season to be active

IT’S easy at this time of year to put the feet up and shelter from the cold outside.

It’s almost as if we go into hibernation mode; a primitive adaptation to get us through the harsh winter months. Unfortunately, this lack of exercise usually coincides with a couple of weeks of dietary hedonism around Christmas and the New Year, with the imbalances in our calorie current account leaving us all carrying additional weight by the time January rolls in.

But while our straining waistbands are usually blamed on the dietary side of the equation — too much chocolate, booze, pudding, etc — very little consideration is given to the decline in physical activity levels at this time of year. The endless re-runs of Only Fools and Horses, the hours spent lazing in front of the fire and the leisurely lie-ins are all conspirators in this Christmas symphony of sloth.