This time of year means lots of big meals, sweets, time off work, and inevitably – weight gain. It’s easy to let your regular workout routine fall by the wayside when your schedule gets thrown off, or you’re traveling to visit family and friends. But that doesn’t mean you have to abandon your fitness goals completely!
You can maintain (or even build) muscle over the holidays with a little planning. Here’s how to put together an effective holiday workout plan to enjoy the food without undoing all your hard work.
The at-home workout and 5-day workout can be found below!
You Don’t Need the Gym to Get a Great Workout In
- Whether visiting relatives or just taking time off your normal routine, getting to the gym regularly can be tough.
- But you don’t need fancy equipment or much space for an effective workout. Bodyweight exercises and simple home workouts can be just as good!
Here are some great options for no-gym-required workouts:
- Bodyweight circuits using squats, pushups, lunges, planks, etc.
- Quick HIIT (high-intensity interval training) with jump rope, sprints, or stairs
- Yoga flows right from your hotel room
- Resistance band circuits
By getting creative and keeping the intensity up with minimal rest, you can build muscle, burn fat, and stay in shape without ever hitting the gym!
Schedule Your Workouts and Stick to Them
We all know that even the best-laid plans tend to fall apart over the chaotic holidays. So, putting your workouts in your calendar and treating them like any other appointment is key.
- Mark out 30-60 minutes a day to focus on your fitness, and don’t let anything else take priority during that block.
- If you’re traveling, take your gear in your luggage so you’re prepared to workout anywhere.
- A strict schedule also helps fight decision fatigue – you already know when and how you’ll work out, so you don’t need to consider squeezing it in.
Here are some tips for planning your holiday workouts:
- Aim for 20-30 minutes of cardio and some form of resistance training 4-5 days per week
- Mix up full-body circuits, targeted muscle groups, and cardio
- Workout first thing in the morning before your day fills up
- Alternate harder and easier days so you don’t need rest days
Sticking to a plan takes discipline, but you’ll thank yourself when you stay active, and the scale doesn’t shoot up!
At-Home Holiday Workout Circuit
Here’s a sample 30-minute circuit you can do anywhere with just your body weight. It checks all the boxes:
| Workout | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squats | 5 | 15 |
| Pushups | 5 | 10 |
| Lunge | 5 | 10 each side |
| Plank | 5 | 30 seconds |
| Mountain Climbers | 5 | 20 seconds |
- Complete each exercise for the prescribed sets and reps with no rest between exercises.
- Rest 1 minute between circuits
- Aim to complete 4-5 circuits in 30 minutes
This type of workout torches fat, builds functional muscle, keeps your heart rate up, and requires zero equipment.
How to Adjust Your Regular Routine
Still have access to a gym or prefer to maintain your normal fitness routine? Some adjustments will help you stay active and allow for extra holiday indulgences.
- Reduce your overall workout volume by 20-30% to account for increased calories/fatigue.
- Maintain intensity and lower overall sets – focus on compound lifts
- Consider a 1-2 week deload phase at a slightly lower weight
- Add in extra cardio 2-3 times per week
The goal is to give your body a break while providing enough stimulus to maintain muscle. And the extra cardio will help combat those extra large meals!
Work Your Muscles in New Ways
The holiday season is also the perfect opportunity to shake up your normal routine and try new activities:
- Take a dance class with your partner or friends
- Go for a snowshoeing adventure
- Learn yoga from YouTube
- Play basketball with your kids/family
- Go sledding and climb back up the hill
Working your body differently from your usual routine can help keep you active while giving your overworked muscles a break. And it’s more fun than just grinding out the same old lifts!
Some great full-body workout options:
- Snow shoveling
- Chopping firewood
- Hiking on local trails
- Long walks with family members
- Pickup soccer/football game
5-Day Holiday Workout Plan
To help you plan out your workouts, here’s an easy-to-follow 5-day plan you can do anywhere with minimal equipment:
Day 1: Lower Body Circuit
- Bodyweight squats: 3×20
- Walking lunges: 3×10 each leg
- Lateral band walks: 3×20 steps in each direction
- Calf raises: 5×15
Day 2: Upper Body and Core
- Pushups: 3×10
- Band pull-aparts: 3×15
- Planks: 3×30 seconds
- Bicycle crunches: 3×20
Day 3: Total Body HIIT
- 10-minute warm-up (walk, jog, bike, row)
- 60 seconds of each exercise below followed by 60 seconds rest:
- Mountain climbers
- Jump squats
- Pushups
- High knees
- Repeat sequence 3-5 times
Day 4: Yoga Flow
- Check out YouTube for a 30-minute yoga sequence!
Day 5: Full-body Strength
- Goblet squats: 3×10
- Dumbbell rows: 3×10 on each side
- Overhead dumbbell press: 3×10
- Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells: 3×12
Get creative and mix up your daily workouts to hit all the major muscle groups. Track your workouts to stay motivated and on schedule. Most importantly, listen to your body and take a rest day if you need it!
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that you don’t need to derail your fitness goals because your schedule changes over the holidays. Plenty of options exist to maintain your muscle and strength through bodyweight workouts, HIIT, runs, hikes, and more.
- Schedule your workout time and stick with it
- Adjust volume and intensity but keep moving
- Take advantage of fun new activities
- Mix up your routine
- Listen to your body and rest as needed
Putting in consistent 30-60 minute sessions 4-5 days per week will help keep you active through the madness without overdoing it. That way, you can enjoy the buffets and parties without gaining weight from the extra calories.
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