Yeah, we get it: you’ve got to live a little, enjoy a cheat meal or two, hell, maybe even a couple of drinks. Finding that balance, they say. But the truth is: if a lean physique is your number one priority then you’d better believe that back-to-back-to-back binge dinners and hard partying can do some damage—and quicker than you think.
Have your pie, potatoes, and stuffing. Drink your beers and stay up late. Just don’t complain if you pushed it too far and those abs you started to see are smoothing out.
HFP expert contributor John Gioffre has the plan to keep you covered.
How the holiday schedule works
The workouts are only about 30 minutes, but those 30 minutes are going to be spent using up every calorie of pie, potatoes, and stuffing. And because you’re most likely tight on time, the plan is built around big lifts, extremely low (or no) rest periods, and bodyweight exercises.
- The big lifts like your squats, deads, and presses, will use up the most amount of calories. Structuring them with very short (or no) rest periods will bump up the intensity.
- The bodyweight circuits are quick, effective ways torch calories and ignite your metabolism without needing to schlup (or rush) it to the gym. All five workoutsshould take approximately 30 minutes each.
How to follow the schedule
Hit the gym every other day for the big lift workouts. In between gym-days use the bodyweight circuits to keep your metabolism in overdrive mode. For example: Monday, Wednesday, Friday in the gym and Tuesday and Thursday from home. To further increase the intensity of these workouts you may completely remove the rest periods.
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Day One: At the gym
Complete all of the exercises in a circuit for five rounds. Or rest 30 seconds between exercises.
Hack Deadlift 10 reps
Dumbbell Row 10 reps
Barbell Push Press 10 reps
Pull Up 5-10 reps
Day Two: At home
Complete all of the exercises in a circuit for five rounds.
Air Squat 30 reps
Close-grip Push Up 25 reps
Leg Raise 20 reps
Hand Crawl 15 reps
Day Three: At the gym
Complete all exercises in a circuit for five rounds. Or rest 30 seconds between exercises.
Barbell Front Squat 10 reps
Dumbbell Chest Press 10 reps
Dips 10 reps
Kettlebell Side Squat 10 reps
Day Four: At home
Complete all exercises in a circuit for five rounds.
Kettlebell Swing 10 reps
Kettlebell Clean 10 reps
Kettlebell Squat 10 reps
Sit Ups 10 reps
Day Five: At the gym
Complete all exercises in a circuit for five rounds. Or rest 30 seconds between exercises.
Back Squat 10 reps
Lat Pulldown 10 reps
Incline Bench Press 10 reps
Dumbbell Front Squat 10 reps