Top tips for cutting back on Christmas Day

Dec 19 2009 by David Fairlamb

Exercise expert David Fairlamb show you how to stay in shape over the festive season.

DECEMBER is often a tough month to stay disciplined with training, food and alcohol.

The lure of Christmas parties and nights out are a big test. Making a choice to limit the amount you eat or drink and stay as disciplined as possible is down to you. It’s all about mind over matter.

Here are this weeks training options. Remember they are a guideline and can be adapted to go within your own training programme or you can simply pick certain sessions or exercises to do, every individual is different with their own goals and ideas of what they want to achieve.

Always make sure you warm up before each workout and cool down and stretch after.

Longer Workout, 45- 50 minutes

Christmas week is more about maintenance and keeping yourself ticking over. Most of you will be off work so get yourselves out for a good long walk or cycle.

Interval Training, 25- 30 minutes

Find a long straight road with lampposts.

Run/walk 2 - 3 lamp posts easy, then two hard. This is an excellent way to train as each interval jumps your heart rate and before you fully recover on the slower part, you go again. An excellent session for burning more calories for weight loss.