Although it was a very long time ago now, getting fit and losing weight was the most popular New Year’s resolution of 2013. While 95% of Britain’s population made New Year’s resolutions, by February 1st 88% will have given them up. I can’t say I blame them either, jogging would be very foolish on those icy pavements! As the weather gets even colder and we feel more inclined towards stodge than salad however, there is a more glamorous alternative. Why not put on those dancing shoes?
After a summer of sports with London 2012, we spent the lead up to Christmas becoming gradually more stationary; except for hitting the remote every Saturday to watch Louis Smith shimmying. Now, the only difference is that we are hitting the button on a Sunday and watching Beth Tweddle and Matt Lapinskas. They can hopefully pirouette a little more gracefully on the ice than we do. According to countless celebrities who have participated in Dancing on Ice and Strictly Come Dancing however, dancing is a fantastic way of losing weight. As 2010 Strictly star Pamela Stephenson said “Strictly Come Dancing is the best fat camp in the universe!” Indeed Lisa Riley dropped from a dress size 26 to a size 18 during her stint on Strictly last year. Although we can’t all be the next Flavia Cacace taking up Ballroom Dancing may be the key to keeping those New Year’s resolutions this year. Plus pretending to be Ginger Rogers for an hour or two seems like great fun. So as it starts to snow AGAIN, we can eat our hot stews and roast dinners safe in the knowledge that we will shimmy it off at our next dance class, while looking far more sparkling than if we were jogging.Four weeks in- how is it going?
So far 2013 seems to have been the year of the gloves, hours defrosting the car and practising your pirouettes as you slip and slide down the street. The weather forecast isn’t looking good either, snow all weekend and a balmy -1°C is the best we are going to get. With prospects like this, the only option is to cocoon ourselves in the duvet. The gym is certainly not where you want to be and swimming would be silly- wet hair in this weather!