
09 Dec December ’22 Newsletter
Classes and Tips for a Happy Healthy Christmas.
December News
The end of the year is just around the corner with plenty of things to do and people to see over the silly season. Making time for your regular exercise regimes through the chaos of it all can be difficult but doing your best to stay active is better than nothing at all. From extra holiday classes to festive season health tips, we’ve got you covered in this month’s newsletter for a happy healthy Christmas.
Holiday Classes
The holiday class timetable has been set for the upcoming December-January holiday period. Onero, GLAD and group therapy classes (both online and in the clinic) will be running from December 19 through to January 25. Kids classes will not be running these school holidays.
- Group therapy: $50/class
- All other classes: $35/class
Check the full schedule in the image below or the email we sent you last week (please note that the email had an error for the January 3rd Onero classes – these will be at 9am and 5pm with Angus per the image below).
You can book one class at a time or alternatively, book multiple up-front to ensure you don’t miss out on a class. Contact the clinic for more details and to make your holiday class bookings. Phone (02) 9438 1782 or email enquiries@stleonardsphysio.com.au.

Have you heard about our GLAD program?
You’ll be glad you did…here at St Leonards Physio, we don’t want osteoarthritis to hold you back and is the reason why we really want you to know about the GLAD program. In fact, GLAD itself actually stands for “Good Life with Arthritis: Denmark” and if you are one of the millions of arthritis suffers out there, the sound of a good life with arthritis probably sounds too good to be true.
The GLAD program is a globally recognised hip and knee exercise program developed in Denmark, that is gaining great momentum due to its results. Our GLAD program for osteoarthritis at St Leonards Physio can help you manage your condition, relieve your pain and increase your mobility. And the best news is that after such a strong response to this year’s classes, we’re adding more GLAD classes to the 2023 program.
Contact the clinic for more details about the program or learn more.
Parking at the Clinic
Construction is currently taking place at an apartment building on Atchinson Street, which may affect the availability of parking spaces near the clinic. Work is meant to start mid-December, and the construction crew are mainly using Albany Lane, so try to avoid that area. We’d encourage you to give yourself extra time to find a space when visiting us here at the clinic. There will still be street parking available in front of the clinic, on near-by streets, and we have some car parks close by as well.
Term 1 Bookings
Before you know it Term 1 of 2023 will be here, and for that reason we’re already taking bookings for our Term 1 classes. New GLAD classes are also being added to our 2023 program so contact the clinic for more details and to make your Term 1 class bookings.
Phone (02) 9438 1782 or email enquiries@stleonardsphysio.com.au.
The Education Quarter
A HAPPY HEALTHY CHRISTMAS

Christmas is coming. Hooray! And with it often comes too much food and drink leaving many of us feeling stuffed, sluggish and soooooooooo not looking forward to dieting in January. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Many traditional Christmas foods like turkey and salmon, seasonal roast vegetables, cherries and cranberries are superfoods, so the big Christmas meal need not be a disaster for your health. Perhaps more challenging are the drinks and snacks – the mulled wine (and the other wines, and the beers, and the hot chocolates), the cheese platters, chocolates and candy canes on Christmas day itself and at the many events you might feel obligated to attend in the lead up to Christmas. Add in a few days away from your normal exercise regime and no wonder we all feel a bit blergh at the end of it all. We have a few ideas we think might help.
The Food
First things first – let’s talk about the food. You don’t have to deprive yourself of treats to stay healthy, especially not at Christmas time. But if you graze on chocolate selections and fancy cheese all day with a bottomless glass of something alcoholic you won’t even really enjoy it. You’ll be too full to enjoy the superfood main meal and you’ll feel terrible the next day. Make it easy for yourself by putting healthy options right in front of you and your guests. For example, have unroasted almonds and macadamias in front of the roasted and candied nuts. Place crudites and healthy dips next to the cheese platter and fruit wedges next to the sweets. Of course, if you’re baking yourself, you can always substitute sugar for monk-fruit (or another natural sweetener) so the desserts and treats are healthier from the outset. Graze on the healthy stuff, and truly treat yourself by consciously delighting in just a few mouthfuls of the less nutritious foods. The same goes for the drinks. Have bottles of sparkling or fruit-infused water next to the alcoholic and sugary drinks, making staying hydrated and taking breaks between alcoholic drinks effortless.
Fun & Festive Ways to Move
Plan other activities other than eating and drinking. Traditional parlour games like Charades or Twenty Questions give a fun focus to the day beyond food. And who says you can’t get any exercise done during the day? A game of Musical Statues, Twister or a yoga session with the Elf on the Shelf will have everyone laughing, bonding, and burning through a few of the excess calories! Perhaps a relaxing walk through a local park, a round of backyard cricket, or a family dance routine choreographed by the children could become a family Christmas day tradition?
Sweet Dreams
Most crucial of all though is sleep. Can you carve out time in the rush before Christmas for sleep? Not only will you feel happier, but you’ll be less likely to reach for sugary treats to keep pushing through your exhaustion. What’s one thing you could delegate, outsource, postpone, or just decide not to do so that you all can get an early night or two? After all, Santa can’t come until you’re all asleep.
We wish you a very happy and healthy Christmas. What are your ideas to make the day more nourishing for your health and for your happiness? We look forward to hearing them the next time you visit us in the clinic.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, then give us a call on (02) 9438 1782 or head to our website to book online – www.stleonardsphysio.com.au