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eNEWSLETTER
December 2006

Our Mission Statement:
"Providing a range of innovative professional services, empowering our clients to positively address issues affecting their lives."

Welcome to the December edition of Clayfield Counselling Services e-newsletter.  There’s only a few more sleeps until Christmas and if your schedule is anything like ours you’ll have a party or three to attend in the next couple of weeks.  We love a good party here at CCS but just like many men and women, we’d like to make it through the holiday season without ending it looking like St Nick.  So, while visions of sugarplums dance in our heads, we thought we’d come up with a few ideas to help us navigate our way through all of that delicious Christmas fare and still manage to fit in to our party dresses on New Years Eve.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

Time seems to speed up during the lead up to Christmas.  Between the frantic gift shopping, the baking, the organising, the catching up with friends and tying up the final loose ends at work, it’s no wonder that we look forward to sitting down at Christmastime, putting our feet up and moving as little as possible.  Relaxation is important and Christmas is a fantastic time to relax.  However, like all good things, moderation is the key.  Sitting around all day, for days or weeks on end, won’t do you or your waistline any favours.  Exercise plays a vital part in our mental and physical well being.  It helps us relax, helps us sleep better and releases endorphins which provide us with a feeling of euphoria.  Of course, exercise also burns off calories and tones muscle which means a stronger, sleeker physique. 

So this Christmas break, set aside some time each day for exercise; that way if you are tempted to indulge in a few tasty Christmas treats, you’ll be able to do so without a tinge of guilt.     

His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry

Rosy cheeks and a red nose might be cute on Santa but for the rest of us, they’re usually signs that we’ve partaken of a few too many glasses of Aunty Gladys’ Christmas punch!  Christmas isn’t called the silly season for nothing.  Alcohol is often readily available and freely flowing around this time.  Now we’re not going to lecture you on the importance of drinking in moderation- though it is important for your physical health and often the health of your relationships too- but did you know that just 1 gram of alcohol contains 28 kilojoules or 7 calories?  So if you think that you’re doing your waistline a favour by choosing to drink too much and eat too little, think again.

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

Some people use cigarettes as a way to suppress their appetite and to avoid the temptation of carrying around a glass of alcohol or an hors de oeuvres.   However, when you consider the amount of damage to your health that cigarette smoking has been proven to cause, it quickly becomes clear that lighting up a cigarette to aid weight loss is not the way to go.

Cigarettes are highly addictive and it’s not easy to give up.  A supportive network of people around you can make all the difference.  If you’d like some support and understanding while you give up, why not phone us on (07) 3862 6622?  Our counsellors make great support partners if you’re trying to beat an addiction of any kind.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

Let’s face it, none of us wants a jelly belly this summer, but it would be a shame to miss out on the Christmas food altogether.  Many people don’t realise that there is often an emotional component involved where dieting is concerned.  Emotional eating can be a big problem for some and because of this, guilty feelings often herald the beginning of the end of a diet and exercise program. So don’t beat yourself up if you eat too much trifle and then skip your afternoon jog- not only is putting a guilt trip on yourself pointless, it can be counterproductive and you’ll be more likely to give up your weight loss goals altogether.  Rather than trying to lose weight over Christmas, why not give yourself a break and enjoy a little of all of your favourite foods?  Settle for maintaining your current weight instead and in the New Year, when all that remains are a few leftovers, get back on that treadmill and start eating well again.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
 "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Well that brings us to the end of the final edition of the CCS newsletter for 2006.  We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it.  We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have given us such encouraging feedback over the year.  CCS will be closed from 22nd December 2006 and will reopen on 8th January 2007.  We hope you have a safe and peaceful Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year. 

If you’d like some help to stay on track with your weight loss regimen, to beat an addiction or you just need someone to talk to, why not give us a call in the New Year and make an appointment?  We look forward to hearing from you.

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Office hours are from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. After hours and Saturday appointments are available on request.

Until next time then...

“People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas. ” 
- Anonymous

 

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