There is a new endurance event in town…. Christmas shopping
It’s that time of year again, the shops are packed with people frantically ticking off a gift list as long as their arm. You queue for what seems like hours trying to find the one remaining parking spot to find you can’t squeeze in it as someone has double parked. The queue at the tills is so long they should hand out refreshments. Every store has the same Xmas playlist, if I hear The Waitresses, Christmas Wrapping one more time… Next year I’m going to save myself the hassle and do it all online. If I can’t Amazon Prime it – it’s not happening.
But there is one positive in all this festive madness – research has found that us Brits walk an average of 20 miles and burn around 1,500 calories whilst traipsing around the shops in the run up to the big day.
I put this theory to the test…
Day one, Liverpool: Weaving in and out of shoppers and screaming children being told ‘If you don’t behave Santa won’t come’ I covered 9.8 miles and 31 flights of stairs whilst carrying 6 large bags (I can count that as weight lifting, right?).
Side note: Paper bags split easily in the rain – cheers Victoria Secret, apologies to anyone that saw me juggling underwear around Liverpool One.
Day two, Sheffield: I managed a further 8.2 miles and 24 flights of stairs.
Top tip: The queue for lifts/escalators is insane – use the stairs, they’re empty and are a little haven of peace.
Day three, Leeds (I get around): How pretty does the Victoria Quarter look? (see photo).
I managed 10 miles and 13 flights of stairs, couldn’t even get a festive beverage as the queues were too long.
Over three days that is 28 miles and 68 flights of stairs
That is definitely worthy of a mince pie or two in my book!
Maybe shopping really does count as cardio. Happy days 🎅
