‘Tis the season… You finally get to relax, you let yourself enjoy the food and drink that maybe you’ve been careful to avoid and fall out of your usual exercise routine. You’ve earned a break from being so good! But… then follows the inevitable frustration of that post-holiday weight gain.
I fall into that exasperating holiday routine as well…
But is it worth that extra five or ten pounds you have to lose after those few weeks are over? Personally, I don’t think so – especially as a person in the sub five=foot category, all weight gain is extremely noticeable. I end up spending forever trying to get it off again.
So, I make that little extra effort to spend 20 minutes each day doing a high intensity session, usually concentrating on different areas of the body each day. The great thing about these quick sessions is that they can be done with little or no equipment – just body weight exercises will do the trick.
Plus, those happy endorphins released during the workout keep me going, lift my spirits and make the return to the usual routine easier to handle when the holiday is over.
Make no mistake, these mini workouts are all about maintenance, not gains, until I can resume my normal routine again.
I just choose five exercises that target a particular part of my body, i.e. arms, legs, back, core, et cetera – or mix it up for whole-body training, and workout as hard as I can during those 20 minutes. I prefer to choose a timed interval as it makes keeping track of time easier, but reps and sets are just as useful.
I’ve downloaded an interval timer app on my phone which is easily programmed and allows me to control my music choices while in the app – an absolute must for me because I can’t be without music while training.
I always make sure to have water to hand and grab a quick sip during rest intervals so that I stay hydrated.
Enjoy your holidays but make certain you don’t regret them either. It may only be 20 minutes but these mini training sessions are still a workout!
Happy Holibobs!
mi balanced body 