The Healthy (5 a day plus exercise) Christmas Market thread
 

In the season of over eating and general self-abuse I'd like to remind visitors that for those seeking a healthier approach, that visiting Christmas Markets and in particular in Germany and Austria that these visits offers a wonderful opportunity to focus on fitness and health.

Firstly it is really important to head for the markets early in the day as it opens. You can then wander around and do a reccy in order to establish the best punch and food stalls. Exercise!

Secondly remember your "5 a day" mantra. So obviously the punch will be one of those because of the grapes in the wine. Canny drinkers will make their way to a stall serving Beerenpunsch. This will give you berries in your punch making your second of the 5 a day. Never give up the opportunity of adding a schuss - a shot. If this is obstler this will add even more fruit making your third of your "5 a day".

And don't forget the maroni - chestnuts - adding both part of the 5 a day and roughage to the diet.

Finally, ... a waffle isn't a waffle without lashings of honey or berries. And kartoffelpuffer is potato ..... so also qualifies alongside chips/fries for the 5 a day.

So, it is possible to make up your annual consumption of your five a day in the Chistmas Markets over a single 5 day trip if you are determined. This is what I do every year during our December trip to Vienna. I know it works so please enjoy your wonderful opportunity of visiting the Christmas Markets for the healthy opportunities it presents.

We are happy to take a drink from anyone who happens to be in Vienna during early December in the interests of health and fitness .............. :)

Taking notes for my trip to Salzburg and Munich in less than 3 weeks.:D

I'm not sure whether the chestnuts would count as part of your 5--they are considered the fruit of the tree, but more akin to other nuts, so would provide protein (and fiber).

I could be wrong, but you should probably also eat some afpelstrudel...you know, just to be sure.

Thanks for the advice. My roommate and I are taking copious notes. Want to make sure we do it right.;):D

Which markets are you visiting?

Salzburg and Munich. It's been years since I've been to either town (and then those visits were only in the summer) so really looking forward to this.

Hope you enjoy it ...... should give you some variety .....

We are doing this too this year. Vienna and Salzburg right before Christmas, Prague after Christmas.

So we've got grapes, berries, chestnuts and potatoes. What else? Maybe something green or formerly green?

Vienna and Salzburg .... lovely combination - particularly if you get some snow in the market by the cathedral in Salzburg.

Green!

Obviously it'll be your apfelstrudel. It shouldn't have any nuts inside but some shops sprinkle slithers of toasted almond on top so that will be two of your five a day. Two slices makes it 4 .....

Enjoy your trip.:)

Good advice. Even though I hate cold weather and don't care about Christmas, I find the allure of the markets irresistable. I love the decorations, festive atmosphere, street food, and of course hot alcohol.

I have started a tradition of an annual trip -- this year will be Stockholm, after Vienna two years ago and Budapest last year. (My criteria are not just the best market, but rather an interesting city that I haven't been to before and/or want to explore further, and of course the mile- and point-earning prospects.) Even though I've been plenty to Munich and Salzburg, those look like market highlights and candidates for future years.

Spot on. It is about standing in the cold with warm alcohol. Thinking about lunch. Thinking about cake. Thinking about where will the next nut come from ....

We join you in the annual trip. But now it is and always will be Vienna for the main one plus the odd one mixed in. This year we're adding some Uk as it's just a day ie Winchester and London.

Oddly, the winters do appear to have got warmer in Vienna over the last few years. I remember -17 some years back ... and with the wind .....:eek: But lately it's often been almost warm.

My criteria is different. I went through some time visiting different cities to see the markets but then I think familiarity started to win over. We go to Vienna three or four times a year ... happy hour and upgrades to suites at the IC helps along, when it's cold. We also did Cologne last year but it doesn't compare in our view. We had Vienna in January instead of December and missed the markets. Sadly last December we sat at the PC screen with Rathausplatz on the webcam drinking our punch and eating our nuts and watching the christmas market activity and fretted .... so we're back to the old routine.

We always go with good intentions. "We'll just have a drink or two and go out this evening after happy hour" followed by a bottle or two of grunerveltliner followed by "it looks cold out there ... perhaps just one or two more ........."

We love Vienna. We love the Christmas markets. We love the IC. I guess it's a lazy choice .......

:)

Remember: it isn't what you eat between Thanksgiving and Christmas; it's what you eat between Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Or in my case .... both.

Anyone wishing to see how the whacky Viennese are doing with their 5 a day aspirations might be interested to see that all 3 webcams are now up ....
Vienna Rathausplatz Christmas Market Webcams ..... in a week or so mrs uk1 will be slumped in front of one of them ....

I leave Tuesday - will get to Salzburg Thursday. I'll pack this weekend which shouldn't be hard since the suitcase will be mostly empty.:p

So to make sure I stay healthy I will be:

1. drinking wine
2. drinking beerenpunsch
3. add a schuss
4. chestnuts (need some good protein)
5. waffle with berries
6. eat kartoffelpuffer

With a good dose of walking in between as recommended by my doctor.

Any other health notes I need to take?