I think we can all agree that come holiday season, the majority of us kind of “give up” on our fitness goals—blame the parties (hello, wine!), shopping (goodbye extra gym time), weather (shorter days makes us all want to hibernate) and idea of New Year’s resolutions (“I’ll start getting fit again in January” sound familiar?).
This year, however, I’m committing to staying on track with my fitness regime—exercise and diet included. And guys, I’m gonna challenge you to do the same.
It turns out staying fit during the holidays isn’t as daunting as it may seem—just ask fitness expert Brent Bishop. According to owner of Think Fitness Studios in Toronto, all you need is 20-30 minutes to complete an effective HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout. And the best part? You can do it in the comfort of your own home.
The high intensity circuit consists of the following five exercises that alternate between speed and power and controlled, deliberate movements:
1. Dumbbell Split Press (works leg and shoulders)
2. Pull Through Plank (works core—obliques, abs, lower back, shoulder stabilizers)
3. Dumbbell Power Twist (works legs, core and shoulders)
4. Single Leg YTW’s (works postural muscles—glutes, entire back and rear shoulders)
5. T-Drill (works cardio and agility)
Complete each exercise for 30-60 seconds and repeat for three to four sets. And if you don’t have dumbbells, Bishop suggests using a bottle of laundry detergent, so you really have no excuses. He says to do the workout first thing in the morning (to get it out of the way!) at least every second day, and to refuel with a protein shake afterwards.
And that’s not all—Brent also recommends the following tips for keeping your diet on track during holiday party season:
1. Go to the party with a full stomach. Have a healthy meal before going to the party so you’ll feel full and won’t snack as much.
2. Don’t forget your veggies. During the holidays, we tend to neglect eating vegetables and instead consume sugar, carbs, etc. Brent suggests finding plant-based foods and snacks to get your daily veggie intake, like Yves Veggie Cuisine Kale and Quinoa Bites.
3. Be proactive. Choosing convenient methods to help you stay on track nutritionally will make things easier. Meal prep twice a week and choose easy-to-prepare healthy foods.
4. Drink a glass of water for every alcoholic drink you consume. This will help you consume less alcohol and calories and keep you hydrated (and help with that hangover the next day).
Ready to take on this holiday season? Check out Brent’s holiday HIIT workout in action, plus more of his tips and tricks below:
The post This 30-Minute HIIT Workout Will Keep You Fit this Holiday Season appeared first on FASHION Magazine.
from FASHION Magazine http://bit.ly/2iKWWI6