What’s worse than holiday weight gain? Holiday guilt!
Don’t beat yourself up for indulging in deliciousness like potatoes, gravy, homemade rolls and …heaven forbid…pie! Stress acts as a barrier to weight management. Just enjoy what you ate and commit to moving. Try these 3 tips for post-feast success.
- Find a friend. It’s easier to stick to any goal if you share it with another person. Find a workout buddy who can hold you accountable…or at least a caring soul who can be a source of strength for you.
- Keep moving! During your workout, you’ll see best results when you maintain an elevated heart rate. So don’t rest for more than 60 seconds between sets.
- Cool it with cardio and focus on muscle building. Muscle burns calories at rest.
Try this workout you can do anywhere!
Ready…Set…GO!!
Warm up
Walk on the treadmill (or around a room) for 10 minutes to get muscles moving and warm. Bump up your speed halfway through, or raise your incline. You’ll feel it, and your legs will love you for it.
Start with Squats
Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, and lower your body ‘til you’re squatting down like you’re about to sit on a chair. Then get right back up. This simple exercise works your quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, hips and lower back. Do a little clench each time you stand up fully for stronger glutes.
Goal: 3 sets of 20.
Push-ups
No rocket science here. If done correctly, push-ups work your shoulders, arms, chest and abs. Start from your knees if you need to. And don’t rush.
Goal: 3 sets of 10.
Lunges
If you have tight legs (and many who sit at a desk all day do!), lunges can be life-savers. They help stretch your hamstrings and glutes as you take a large stride forward and lower your weight down. You can do lunges as you walk around a gym or track. Or do them in place.
Goal: 3 sets of 20 (10 for each leg).
Planks
Keep your body straight in the prone position while holding yourself up on your forearms. Planking works your core like no other and is good for overall strengthening. Try normal planks first, then add in side planks to strengthen your obliques, which help protect your spine.
Goal: 3 sets of 2. Hold for 30 seconds
Cool down
Walk for 10 more minutes. Keep your incline for the first half, then gradually reduce it (or your speed) for the last half while your breathing slows.
Take time to refresh! Solstic Energy provides stimulatory effects to reduce fatigue, improve mental alertness, and provides antioxidant protection for the maintenance of good health.
Bravo! Now keep the momentum going all through your guilt-free holiday season.