So we're past the Thanksgiving feast and yet we still know the holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year. However, it's still no excuse to get trapped into gaining extra holiday pounds because you have a long list of events and errands to do. In fact, slacking during this time, you run the risk of losing the big amounts of the lean muscle and strength you've accumulated.
I tell my campers this, you can work for 6 months hard to get it, and lose it in just 2 weeks (some even feel the difference in just one week). Why don't you want lose your lean muscle mass? A loss in lean muscle mass, will lower a persons resting metabolic rate (RMR). Your RMR is primarily the majority (about 60-75%) of your total daily calorie burning.When you lose lean muscle mass, everyday your body will begin to burn less calories. This increases the chances of you putting on ugly, unwanted body fat. In addition when you lose strength the next time you get back on your exercise program your performance lacks which ultimately leads to the dreadful word nobody wants to hear, which is "regression"!
There are multiple ways to maintain or increase the number of calories you burn daily, both through exercise and from your daily activities, to keep your waistline down this holiday season. (aImplement the strategies below to maintain and/or increase the current amount of lean muscle mass you have and maximize your daily calorie burn to protect yourself against the deadly traps of getting a holiday gut!
1.) No less than one intense strength training session per week no compromise!
Studies have proven a single strength training workout per week during the times when you cannot exercise with your normal routine is an effective way to maintain your current fitness levels of strength and lean muscle mass. Therefore, you should look to include at the bare minimum one good strength training workout per week. By doing this you'll be able to maintain the lean muscle during the holidays and to prevent unwanted ugly fat. If you're looking to optimally prevent the dreaded weight gain, I recommend three full body workouts per week. And to further maximize your fat burning process, try including three total body strength workouts per week and also perform two-three cardio interval workouts per week on your non strength-training days.
2.) Set a mark and hit it!
Your body doesn't know the difference between 100 squats performed in a row versus 100 total squats performed in a day. If' you're hard pressed for time and don't even see a five to 20-minute time slot to complete an effective full body workout, as hard as it may seem, look to accomplish this in chunks throughout the day to reach a certain number of daily repetitions for a certain number of exercises that work your full body. If you have a quick minute before your conference call or trying to get some food out of the oven, knock out and quick full body combos like 10-12 push ups, 10-12 resistance band rows then 20 squats, rest briefly and repeat if impossible. Using this format in chunks throughout the day increases your numbers by the end of the day. This method will burn the same amount of calories, In addition, it will help simulate muscle building effects as if you did all of the rounds during a single workout.
It is important to know that this "set a mark and hit it" plan is a back-up option. This is sort of like a trick up the sleeve that is used every one in a while. Your ideal total interval training period should be about 20-minutes. This protocol is scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than regular exercise (view my article How to Build a Total Body Fat Burning Workouts For the Holidays in just 5-Minute). Shorter rest periods between exercises help to create a hormonal environment for rapid fat loss and lean muscle gain, where as the longer rest periods do not. However, it simple boils down to being effective ("Set a mark and hit it") versus optimal (Like my favorite a 50-10 work to rest ratio of Total Body Circuit Interval Training), so this holiday season, you need to make sure to at least be effective when you're hard pressed for time.
Select multi-joint, compound movements as the best bang for your buck workouts. Multi-joint movements include multiple major muscle groups in your body in the shortest amount of time possible (e.g. push ups, squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows, etc.). Follow the program design outlined below as a guide to create your very own "Set a mark and hit it" workout. Changing the repetitions based on your current strength levels. The only thing you need for this workout is your body weight dumbbells and/or resistance bands. You can follow this design up to three times per week, then give your body full day rest between workouts to help build and repair muscle. Alternate between both Workout 1 and Workout 2 for more variety. You can either set your own mark and hit it by doing one exercise first (e.g. perform squats rest-pausing as needed until you get 100 total), or by simply using a circuit style training format. (e.g. 10-12 push ups, 10-12 rows and 20 squats, repeat this circuit 10x throughout the day to hit your mark).
Set your Mark and hit it Workout For The Holidays
Plan A
Body weight Squats or Hip Extensions: 100-200 total
DB/Band Rows: 50-100 total
Push-ups: 50-100 total
Plan B
Body weight Lunges or Single-Leg Hip Extensions: 50-100/total per leg
Dips: 50-100 total
DB/Band Curls: 50-100 total (for better multi joint movements exchange curls for pull-ups or pull-downs here if you have access to the equipment)
3.) Forget the Machines
Let's face it, machines have are one of the major factors of us being an out of shape and overweight society. For the holiday season look to exercise and forget them! Try including things that will force your body to work harder. These things are parking a bit further when shopping at malls. Avoid elevators/escalators and use the stairs; all those extra steps do count. Instead of making the kids carry the bags/groceries, sneak in a a way to burn more calories by carrying the bags yourself. Rest on your feet as much as possible and bypass the temptations of letting the machines work for you.
4.) Enjoy more outdoor holiday activities
You most certainly should give yourself a change the scenery and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Don't succome to excuses like, "it's too cold out to exercise. " Changing your scenery can help to be motivating and you can reap the rewards of from it. Being outdoors is also a greay way to get the family engaged in physical activities as well. These type of activities are endless they can be hikes, ice skating, raking leaves, brisk walks, trips to the park, you can even sneak in playing in the snow (if we ever get snow here in ATL) just to name a few, but it all counts.
Benson Manento is an internationally renowned fitness boot camp instructor and real world fat loss expert. For a FREE 1-week trial to his rapid fat loss Atlanta boot camp and to experience the best personal training in Atlanta please visit www.hotlantabodiesfitcamp.com
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