By Aidan Antonitis and Grayson DiMiceli, Certified Personal Trainer
It’s the holiday season. This time of year is about spending time with family and enjoying heart-warming holiday food. At the same time, holiday training can feel difficult when your normal routine gets disrupted and your schedule fills up. This guide will give you simple, realistic ways to stay active without feeling restricted or overwhelmed.
The CLIENTEL3 team has crafted practical tips, simple strategies, and effective workouts that you can use anywhere with no equipment required. If staying on track with your health and fitness goals is important, this holiday training guide will help you keep your rhythm so you start the new year one step ahead.
Holiday Training When Time Is Tight
It is difficult to stay consistent and find time to get to the gym during this busy time. A simple yet effective workout will come in handy during the holidays. It is not about how long you work out that determines a good workout; efficiency is what matters. Below we have detailed how to get an effective full body routine done in minimal time so your holiday training stays on track.
Here are some bodyweight home workouts that you can use to keep your progress moving forward:
1. AMRAP
Set a timer to however long you want the workout to be and get through as many rounds as you can:
- 10 Squats
- 10 Pushups
- 10 Glute Bridges
- 10 Situps
2. Quick high intensity
30 seconds per exercise, 15 seconds rest between
- Squat Jumps
- Inchworms
- Pogo Hops
- Mountain Climbers
- Burpees
3. Isometrics
30-second hold for each
- Glute Bridge
- Halfway Pushup
- Wall Sit
- Side Plank
- Halfway Split Squat
4. Deck of cards workout
Pick an exercise (pushups, squats, crunches etc), take a deck of cards face down, flip a card over one at a time, and do as many reps as the number on the card shows.
The best part about these workouts is flexibility; you have control over how long the workout lasts. Busy day and a tight schedule? Shorten the workout to fit your time frame. Have some extra time in the day? Make the workout longer and really push yourself! Any type of workout is better than no workout at all, the key is to incorporate consistent movement and keep the body working. Aim to get at least 2 workouts in each week and find what kind of exercise you enjoy to ensure adherence.
Movement Beyond the Workout
For example, let’s say you get a 30-minute workout in (great job), but what about the rest of the day? What else can we do to make sure we are moving in the right direction toward our goals?
The answer is NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). NEAT accounts for up to 15 percent of daily calorie expenditure and supports metabolic health (Levine, 2007). Small daily movements add up and support your holiday training even when you are not in a formal workout.
Easy ways to increase your steps
You might’ve heard people talk about getting 10,000 steps a day and wonder if that’s actually helpful. The answer is yes, walking keeps your body active and is a major part of NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), which contributes about 15% of your daily calories burned. 10,000 steps is the gold standard but don’t get too caught up in the number you get to, instead just get up and walk around.
Some things you can do to help this are:
- Go for a walk while listening to your favorite audiobook, podcast, or playlist
- Opt to take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator
- Park further away when you go to a store or at home
- Find local events or activities (for example, through Meet Boston) and walk around
- Walk your pet through your neighborhood
If you want more support on the nutrition side, you can read our companion article “Healthy Eating During the Holidays: A Practical Guide to Staying Grounded”.
A Note on Alcohol
Alcohol is a toxin, so when you drink it, your body is focused on getting it out of your system. The body stops burning fat, and instead it is fighting to cleanse your body of a toxic chemical called Acetaldehyde. Unlike food, overconsuming alcohol tends to affect you the next day. You’ll probably wake up tired, achey, and sluggish. This is not good for getting the body moving and back to burning calories.
So yes, enjoy a drink or two with your family this holiday season. But if you do overconsume, simply reset the next day. No punishment, no overcorrecting, just get back into your healthy habits and your holiday training plan.
Hydration Still Matters
Water has many health benefits, including preventing dehydration, aiding in digestion, cushioning your joints, regulating body temperature, and supporting normal blood pressure. The daily recommendation of water intake each day is 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 liters for women. So grab your water bottle and make sure you are drinking it throughout the day!.
This article has provided a practical overview of how to enjoy the holiday season without losing progress toward your fitness goals. The goal is not perfection; it is balance and consistency.
Enjoy the time with friends and family, indulge in your favorite meals, and stay active when you can. Keep your habits steady enough that when the holiday season passes and the new year begins, your holiday training has already kept you ahead of the game.