Balance Fitness and Wellbeing

22/12/2025

Last few days of the Gladvent Calendar and a little tip for moving and staying strong over Christmas. 🎄 💪 🏋️

22/12/2025

Day 22 of our Balance Gladvent Calendar.

Can you get stronger and more toned in just two minutes?

You bet you can, especially if you’ve never regularly done resistance training or haven’t for a while.

Any challenge for muscles leads to change.

Focusing on major muscle, compound exercises (ones that use multiple joints and muscles) activates more muscle fibres and burns more calories in the process.

If you’re short on time over Christmas, a legs - push - pull workout can do all of the above in just three exercises and a few minutes to target most of your major muscles.

The video is an example of one such workout that I use myself when time is tight, because doing something is better than nothing, right? Even the fittest folks can benefit when days get busy.

1. Backwards lunges.
2. Bent over wide rows.
3. Kneeling (or lunge position) shoulder press.

One set of 10-12 repetitions of each can make a difference. Going round 2-3 times for each can have an even greater effect. Just 2-8 minutes total so perfect for a hectic festive schedule. 🏋🏽‍♂️🕰️🎄

Don’t aim for perfect. Be realistic. Be consistent. Do what you can. That’s where results come from. 💪

21/12/2025

Gladvent Calendar, Day 21.

We’re nearly there, time off for most of us.

And one of the most magical things you can do for your wellbeing - maybe even more so in the shortest days of the year - is to spend some time by water. (Shouldn’t be too hard given all the rain we’ve had recently.)

We know from tonnes of research that it relaxes us, boosts positive mood states, improves heart health, and leads to higher levels of activity.

The sounds, the fresh air, the natural surroundings, they all play their part. So be it sea, river, lake, stream, pond, wetland, or brook, maybe you could spend a little time by the water over the Christmas holidays.

Obviously take care, especially in flooded areas, and let your troubles literally float away.

20/12/2025

Day 20, just a few days left of our Gladvent Calendar.

And this is an important one.

If you can, make some time to do absolutely nothing over Christmas.

Not meditating, not reading a book, not breathing techniques, not planning for next year.

Just nothing. Just let your mind drift away and enjoy even the briefest moment of zero.

Feel no guilt about not making the most of time or worry about things you should be doing. Just switch off and drift off.

It can feel hard to do these days, but there’s a huge restorative benefit to just letting your brain go into standby mode, even briefly.

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19/12/2025

Day 19 of our Balance Gladvent Calendar.

Today’s tip for wellbeing over the festive period is:

Make your own traditions.

Especially if you find the pressures and expectations of Christmas just to great.

Do it your way.

The first year we were together, Lou and I had a Christmas picnic just a few days before the big day. A lovely day out walking and a midwinter picnic to take with us.

We’ve kept it up every year since although the date and logistics flex to fit around the kids and life.

This weekend, we’ve headed down to Dorset and Lou’s mom has kindly taken the kids for us.

Today, we’ve made the most of the beautiful sunshine to do a walk/jog along the Jurassic Coast.

A stunning 7.5-mile loop from the wonderfully named Worth Matravers, out to Winspit Quarry and Dancing Ledge, two places we’ve wanted to see for such a long time.

The picnic ended up being in the van on the way there as time was tight to drop the kids off, get there and get it done before sunset, but it was still a magical day.

Then we retired to our stay - a beautiful thatched pub in Lulworth Cove - The Castle Inn. Great food, live music, fabulous staff, and a very short walk back to our room after a few drinks!!!

This is one tradition that’s just ours that we’ll be keeping up for years to come.🎄

What do you do that’s your own tradition and makes Christmas feel just right for you? ❤️

18/12/2025

Goal…

Achieved!!! ✅ ✅ ✅

Ok, so it was nearly 5 months later than planned but that’s life ain’t it.

Back in July, as the Tour de France was cycling up the infamous Mont Ventoux, I decided I’d like to get fit enough to ride up it on the Wattbike.

Little ones, opening our studio, and the odd illness here and there meant it was slow progress but - today - I finally reached the summit.

I have history with this mountain. I rode it back in 2012, watched Chris Froome ride to victory on it, and returned a few years later, with my adventure buddy Simon, to ride all of its three ascent routes in one day. The latter got us into the Club de Cinglé, for folks mad enough to give all three routes go! 🚵🏻🚵🏻🚵🏻

It holds a special place in my heart, that’s why this goal really mattered to me. I stuck with it, chipped away gradually with longer mountain climbs whenever I got the chance.

And today, with time running out before 2025 comes to a close, I nailed it! 🥇

Not my fastest climb up it. In fact, probably my slowest, but it feels great to know I still have it in my legs (and mind).

The message? Don’t give up on your goals. Persistence pays off in the end. 🎯

Photos:

1. A very sweaty me at the end.

2. The data (if you’re that way inclined).

3. In-climb reading - my walking magazine and a fabulous book by Peter Cossins about the history of cycling’s great climbers.

4. Fuelling - fruit juice and water, a banana, half a packet of fudge, and an apple that I didn’t eat but was in my bag so I figured have it there just in case!

5. Weirdly, a memory just popped up on Facebook of me and friends at the summit after my first climb. 🏔️

18/12/2025

Loneliness.

It’s a massive problem. And it was revealed in a recent study as potentially the greatest risk factor for ill health.

Day 19 of our Gladvent Calendar is about encouraging you to do two things:

1. Check in on family, friends, neighbours. Just say hi, how are you? Fancy a chat?

2. Check in with yourself. Do you need some social stimulation? Sometimes, when we’re low, we withdraw even more so you may have to feel uncomfortable briefly as you text or ring or join a new group. But please do it if you can. It’ll be amazing for your wellbeing. 🙏

Don’t let it be lonely this Christmas. Instead, reach out and let faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us once more. Or just say hello to friends you know, and everyone you meet.🎄❤️

Conversations around it often focus on the elderly. But by some measures, people in their 20s are the loneliest group in Britain

17/12/2025

Day 17 of your Balance Gladvent Calendar…

Things that are great for your wellbeing: Random acts of kindness. 🤗🥰

Thank you so much to whoever sent us this lovely Christmas hamper! 🎄🙏 There’s no name in the card so it’s a mystery but we hugely appreciate it.❤️

We may have had to open the biscuits already to survive this grey, wet day.

16/12/2025

Late afternoon run…

Mud and water.

Getting high on the views from up top.

The Tor fading into a hazy pastel-tinted horizon.

A hell of a stone stile. Still standing strong but on a path to nowhere.

Quick stop at the casinos in Dulcote! 😉

Home in time for pink mackerel sunset skies. 🌅

16/12/2025

Fiiiiiiiive energy drinks,
Four cans of beer,
Three crisp packets,
Two plastic bags,
And a v**e (the flavour was cherry)!

A rubbish post today for Day 16 of our Balance Gladvent Calendar.

I collected this lot in just the half-mile walk from our house to the studio. Half. A. Mile.

And I didn’t even touch the sides.

Be kind to your planet. Pick up some litter. And educate your little ones not to drop it.

• Healthy wildlife = a healthy ecosystem = pollination = a healthy food system.

• Healthy soil = healthier plants and animals, and healthier crops and water.

• Tidier, cleaner environment = prettier places = better mental health.

A fitter, healthier, happier planet = a fitter, healthier, happier population. 🌍❤️

15/12/2025

The Balance Gladvent Calendar, Day 15.

Today’s tip comes from Lou and Lennie.

Step 1: Bake cookies (almond and orange or any other flavour you like).

Step 2: Eat them.

Step 3: Say yum! 😋

That’s it! 🍪🎄🎁

14/12/2025

Day 14 of our Gladvent Calendar.

Something to definitely make you smile.

This week I’ve got myself firmly into the Christmas movie spirit with Home Alone 2 (surely the best one?), Love Actually, and Miracle on 34th Street.

Bit what gets your vote for all-time best Christmas movie? 🎬 🎄 🎥 🎅🏼 🍿 🌟