5 holiday workouts to keep you toned, focused
CHRISTMAS is the time of year when we’re most tempted to indulge, and with the freeing up of COVID-19 protocols just in time for the holidays, no doubt many people have been attending the socially distanced events and get-togethers with food and alcohol aplenty. This period of overdoing it often leads to guilt and the promise to yourself to do better in the new year, and if you’ve found that this has been your experience for the last several years, it’s time for a change.
There’s no need to wait to amp up your health and exercise regimen come January because we all know that resolutions will be made, broken, and eventually forgotten, and the cycle of yo-yo dieting will continue. What you can do instead is make fitness part of your routine right throughout the holidays by following the simple steps below, outlined by fitness trainer Lennox Richards.
Squats
Whether jump squats, wall squats, or plié squats, the aim is to always have this move as part of your routine, since it works the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and abs.
“These are all areas prone to be affected by poor dieting that is synonymous with the holiday season, so the aim is to do work that will keep you toned, even while you overindulge,” Richards said.
Lunges
There are several variations of lunges and they all do similar work — strengthening the legs and buttocks.
“Lunges target the large muscle groups of your lower body and this boosts your metabolism and helps you lose weight much faster,” Richards said. “So when you eat, then do this exercise, you won’t retain the pounds at all.”
Push-ups
Done right, push-ups are beneficial for building upper body strength — they work the triceps, pectoral muscles, and shoulders.
“Push-ups also work the abdominal muscles and the entire upper body, which will increase your metabolism and help you work off fat faster,” Richards said.
Russian twists
You’d have seen a lot of athletes do this move — the Russian twist is a good ab exercise that strengthens all the muscles in your core.
“It’s a full exercise that targets several areas for strength, and you can’t lose out by adding this to your routine,” Richards said. “It’s also not boring at all, so if you want to mix things up a bit, this is the exercise for you. Not only that, you will shed the pounds in no time.”
Burpees
The health benefits of burpees include strengthening your major muscle groups, burning lots of calories, and improving cardiovascular fitness. This alone indicates that the exercise is perfect for this time of the year.
“This exercise involves dropping down into a push-up position, springing back up to standing and leaping into the air, and you can see why you would get a full body workout,” Richards said. “It is a total body workout that will pump up your heart rate, burn lots of calories, and improve your endurance.”
“The holidays are not the time to slack off on your routine,” Richards said. “In fact, it’s the ideal time to prove to yourself that you have that endurance necessary to dedicate a half hour each day to take care of your body, even amidst the hustle and bustle of Christmas.”
