Christmas is just about as big as it gets for piling on extra pounds, and our New Year’s resolutions often see gym memberships and diets in Oxford at the top of the list.

That said, an article on the Oxfordshire Council website discusses how our fitness and leisure centres in Oxford are encouraging people to avoid that expanding waist-line by keeping trim in the run up to Xmas and New Year.

I must admit that the button on my jeans fails to do up after the Xmas season every year, so being careful and burning some extra calories before the big day feast might not be such a bad idea. I suppose it happens to everyone, but it’s better to try and catch these things before they become a problem.

Apparently we can put away 6,000 calories on Christmas day- no wonder we put on weight.

Health centres in the city are appealing for people to take care of their bodies and professionals are providing information and tips to keep fit, even if you can’t afford to join a club, including dance school in Oxford, ice-skating and ‘spin’, a class provided at many gyms for a small fee.

Every year Oxford gyms see a boom in memberships throughout January, but December is fairly quiet. This is clearly due to the rush for gifts, putting up the tree and generally being busy around this time, but would it really hurt us to take 30 minutes out for a bit of exercise, or are we just a bit lazy? I know that I am!

This article in the Oxford Mail made me chuckle (despite the seriousness behind it of course).

“A cyclist became so fed up with theft in the city he used boltcutters to steal his own bike to see if anyone would notice. And nobody stopped him. Nine times”.

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Apparently Oxford is one of the sportiest cities in the country. This is obviously pretty well aided by the student population, but a survey by Sport England reveals that over 20% of adults take part in regular activity.

We’re also helped, no doubt, by the parks and waterways, and you just had to look at the number of people punting in Oxford recently to know that we’re not averse to a little exercise. And boy that’s hard work!

People are very sceptical that the good weather will continue, but don’t give up if the rain appears – check out the health clubs or gyms in Oxford so you don’t lose that momentum…

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So, it’s nearly the Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race again… A classic historical battle that never fails to pull in the crowds or get the heart racing if you’re watching it on television.

Of course some people just won’t be interested, but I bet even they can’t help watching it out of the corner of their eye if it’s on.

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If you made a New Year’s resolution to hit the gym more regularly and you’ve managed to stick to it – congratulations. Reaching the beginning of March is pretty impressive and you may even feel as though you’ve broken through the barrier of pain.

If not, and your trips to the gym have fallen by the wayside already, you can always add a little extra motivation to your training by signing up for the OX5 Run.

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What with all the dancing TV shows on at the moment, like Strictly Come Dancing and So You Think You Can Dance, it will come as no surprise that dance classes have really taken off.

I’ve never personally felt confident enough to strut my stuff, other than in one or two nightclubs in Oxford of course… but it may be something to inspire you if the gyms in Oxford are proving too overcrowded, or if you are just really bored of going by now. You can find anything from modern jive to salsa classes in the local area.

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When was the last time you went ice-skating in Oxford?

The rink in Oxpens Road (the building that I only know as the “ship”, thanks to those 30 metre masts) is celebrating its 25^th anniversary on the weekend of 5^th December. (more…)

A fantastic weekend of sport topped by England winning the Ashes. For one horrible moment I thought Australia were going to do it, but the good news is, it’s not all over yet as cricket fever seems to have swept the nation.

In fact, according to our latest figures, searches for cricket sports equipment and sportswear in Oxford, along with local cricket clubs, have surged dramatically since the start of the Ashes. I wonder if any budding young cricket players in this area will end up helping lift that little urn at some point in the future?

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How nervous must those boys be?

What started as a simple challenge from one university to another has turned into a major international sporting event that draws in millions of spectators. (more…)