We all know the holidays can be busy. Don't get caught in the trap of skipping working out to make more time for errands and gift buying. This is a surefire way to lose lean muscle and strength. Why you ask? Decreases in lean muscle mass will lower your resting metabolic rate, which accounts for the majority (about 60-75%) of your total daily calorie burning. This means that everyday you will be burning less and less calories which will put you at a much greater risk of putting on ugly, unwanted body fat during the holidays. Losing strength will only make you regress when you pick up your workout routine later. There are creative ways to maintain or increase the number of calories you burn per day, both from exercise and from your normal daily activities, to stay fat-free this holiday season. Use the strategies below to maintain and/or increase your current amount of lean muscle mass and Xcelerate your daily calorie burn to best protect yourself against the deadly holiday bloat!
1.) Take part in a minimum of one intense strength training session per week
Studies show that only a single strength training workout per week during times when you cannot train as frequently as you normally do is an effective way to maintain your current levels of strength and lean muscle mass. Don't make excuses, get at least one good strength training workout per week to stay fit during the holidays and to avoid taking a step back in fitness. Give yourself the best shot at reducing the chance of weight gain by aiming for three total body strength workouts per week. To Xcelerate fat burning, perform three total body strength workouts per week and also perform three cardio interval workouts per week on non strength-training days.
2.) Hit Your Totals
Your body has no clue. It cannot tell the difference between 100 push-ups performed in a row or 100 total push-ups performed in a day. If you can't find a 5 to 20-minute time slot to complete an effective total body workout, look for hidden spots of time to get in a certain number of daily reps for exercises that work your entire body. Got a free moment from now until you need to get the kids up for school? Then, bang out 10 push-ups, 10 rows, and 20 squats. Use this method throughout the day and you can rack up some big numbers by the end of the day. You'll burn the same amount of calories and create similar muscle building effects as if you did all of the exercises at once during a single workout.
But, this is merely a back-up plan to the ideal 20-minute interval training workouts which are scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than ordinary exercise. Short periods of rest between exercises create the optimal hormonal environment for rapid fat loss and lean muscle gain, where as longer rest periods (full recovery) between movements do not. It comes down to being effective or optimal so at least be effective this holiday season!
Xcelerate your effectiveness by picking movements that hit your body's major muscle groups. Do exercises that will do that in the shortest amount of time (e.g. squats, lunges, push-ups, rows, etc.). Use the plan below as guide to build your own "Hit Your Totals" workout. The only thing you need is your body weight and adjustable dumbbells and/or resistance bands. (
order them here if you need some). Follow this program up to 3 times per week resting 1 day between workouts. Alternate between Plan A and Plan B for more variety. You can either hit your total by doing one exercise first (e.g. perform push-ups rest-pausing as needed until you get 100 total), or by simply employ circuit style training (e.g. 20 squats, 10 push-ups, 10 rows, repeat 10x throughout the day to hit your totals).
The Hit Your Total Workout For The Holidays
Plan A-
Body weight Squats or Hip Extensions: 100-200 total
Push-ups: 50-100 total
DumbBell/Band Rows: 50-100 total
Plan B-
Body weight Lunges or Single-Leg Hip Extensions: 50-100/total per leg
Off Chair/Couch Dips: 50-100 total
DB/Band Curls: 50-100 total (feel free to swap pull-ups or pull-downs here if you have access to the equipment)
3.) Rage Against The Machines
Machines have helped make us an overweight and less fit society. This holiday season make it a point to not use them! You'll probably have to drive to the mall this holiday season but park farther away and get some extra walking in. Avoid using elevators and escalators and take the stairs; all those steps really do add up.
