Luke here. How are you all doing? I hope you’re all training hard and aren’t letting the dark, cold weather put you off!

With Christmas just around the corner, I think this time of year is the most difficult when it comes to exercise and nutrition. My advice to you is to check out the health tips on the Bupa website. They’ve brought out a healthy 25 day advent calendar and each day offers you free advice to help you have a happy, healthy Christmas.

Here at 4Ever Fitness, we like doing things in 4′s so I’ve given you my favourite four days so far below.

1. Keep your seasonal snacking healthy

You know where I’m going with this. I can remember my Mam and Dad always having crisps and nuts out at Christmas and it was almost impossible to avoid eating them. Why not try some juicy oranges instead though? Full of vitamin C and really good for you.

2. Get outside to feel better inside

Everyone feels like lying on the sofa all day over Christmas. It’s a time to recharge those batteries. Getting outside in the fresh air can do you wonders though. I don’t know if there’s a better feeling than inhaling that cool, crisp air. If the suns out too, you’ll be secretly topping up your vitamin D levels.

3. Deck the halls

If you are decorating your house this year or maybe having a Winter tidy up, did you know that an hour’s worth of hoovering can burn up to 250 calories? This is the equivalent of one mince pie. So before you eat that pie, why not run the hoover around the house first.

4. Walk to the beat and lift your mood

If you already have one or have asked Santa for an iPod this year, music is great to listen to while out walking. It helps you pick up the pace and burn more calories.

Thanks again for reading and please have a happy, safe and healthy Christmas!

This article is a sponsored post on behalf of Bupa UK.

Thanks again for reading and today I’d like to talk to you about the fantastic range of apps and tools that I’ve come across on the Bupa website. If you’re not familiar with Bupa, they know how important it is to look after yourself and help you ‘find healthy.’

They’ve created a range of free, yes I repeat FREE! tools, apps and questionnaires to help you stay healthy. I’d like to talk to you today about 4 of them:

Nutritional Guidance

This is a free section on the website all about diet and nutrition. As I have a cow’s milk allergy, I found the section on food allergies particularly interesting. There’s also packed information on other things such as deficiencies, Crohn’s Disease, constipation and indigestion. If you looking for additional information on any of these topics, I recommend you go to the website for free advice.

Cost of Smoking Calculator

For anyone that read my recent article on how smoking affects health and fitness, you’ll already know some of the disadvantages. A topic that’s close to my heart, as my brother is currently trying to quit. Something I constantly mention to my brother is not just the health benefits to stop smoking but also the financial boost he’ll get too. Bupa have introduced a fantastic little tool that calculates how much money you could save. Simply enter in how many cigarettes you smoke a day and how much you pay for a pack of 20. Commit to quit today with Bupa.

3. Fitness App

Brilliant little app to help you improve your fitness levels. I downloaded the iPhone version but it’s also available on Android and the iPod. It gets four and a half stars, personally I’d give it five out of five. I like the fact the app is targeted and also has a four week plan. I recommend to anyone you need a plan in place before you do anything. The four key areas it targets are flexibility, core, balance and strength. It features a great little intro from Bupa physiotherapist Simon Fairthorne. The app not only looks great but functionality wise, it’s very easy to use. See how much you can improve.

4. Stress Assessment

Everyone feels a bit stressed now and then. Sometimes you won’t even realise that you’re bit stressed. Being a little bit stressed can be bad for your health so you need to determine how much is too much. 10 minutes of your time and a few questions will determine if you need to do something to reduce your stress levels. Bupa use three steps to determine your stress levels. The three steps are a simple health check, a report and your recommendations.

I hope this has given you an insight into the range of tools available and I’d highly recommend you check them out too.

Stay fit folks and let Bupa help you find healthy.

This article is a sponsored post on behalf of Bupa UK.