Beat The Christmas Bulge With Interval Training
Holiday Fitness Solutions for Busy Schedules and Maximum Fat Burn
The holiday season is upon us and it spells trouble on two different fronts. The obvious is our battle with food, the second – missing workouts. Let intervals help you beat the Christmas bulge.
The holiday season presents unique challenges for maintaining fitness routines. Every time you turn around there’s a holiday party, whether it’s at a friend’s or at the office, and this is going to mean plenty of choice when it comes to very tasty, unhealthy, high calorie food. Not to mention the free flowing alcohol you’re going to encounter as well.
The Holiday Fitness Challenge
The second front is one that not nearly as many people think about during this time of year and that’s how busy we get and how many workouts get skipped over as a result. We just don’t have the time to get to the gym for the usual hour to two hours per day. Workouts seem to taper off during the holiday season and before you know it, we’ve eaten all this high calorie, unhealthy food, put away the beer and wine, and we’re starting to take on a closer resemblance to Santa Claus than we dare admit!
Within the blink of an eye, the holiday season is over and we’re 15 pounds of unsightly fat heavier not to mention sporting less muscle mass too. It’s a downright disaster! For some of us, we struggle to get back into the habit of getting to the gym for our workouts on a consistent basis. This is where professional personal training can make a significant difference in maintaining accountability.
“If You’re Not Careful Your Holiday Binge Could Have You Looking More Like Santa Claus Than You’d Like.”
Once you’ve been on the couch a few weeks, it can be a battle to get back into the training groove, which quite possibly means an even greater layoff or else a permanent vacation from training. Many people find success working with a personal trainer for weight loss to regain momentum after the holidays.
The Interval Training Solution
So what can you do about the impending holiday doom? In case you didn’t figure it out, the saving grace is interval training! This approach is particularly effective for those working with at-home personal trainers who can design efficient workout programs.
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Scientific Evidence for Interval Training
One study, led by Jason Talanian (Journal Applied Physiology, 102: 1439-1447, 2007), showed some impressive findings. Research from the National Center for Biotechnology Information supports these findings on high-intensity interval training effectiveness. Additional studies from the American Heart Association demonstrate the superior benefits of HIIT protocols.
Subjects who completed seven high intensity interval training workouts over a two week period achieved:
- 13% increase in aerobic capacity
- 36% boost in fat burning capacity
- Nearly 25% increase in key aerobic enzymes
- Reduced muscle glycogen usage during moderate exercise
The High-Intensity Protocol
The high intensity interval training program they followed consisted of 10 sets of 4-minutes of cycling at 90 percent of max effort alternated with 2 minutes of rest. This type of structured approach is what high-performance training specialists use with their clients. Research on strength training methodologies shows similar protocols can enhance cardiovascular capacity significantly.
Why Interval Training Beats Traditional Cardio
Long-term studies on this topic confirm that high intensity cardio training causes more fat loss than typical low intensity aerobics. The body uses more fat for fuel at lower intensities and more carbohydrate for fuel at higher intensity levels. However, the important factor is the number of calories burned. Understanding metabolic processes helps explain why interval training is superior for fat loss.
The EPOC Effect
The interval training burns more total calories while also increasing the body’s ability to use fats as fuel for the rest of the day and night. In other words, you get a calorie burning boost while at rest after interval training. This is something you don’t get with lower intensity aerobics.
Due to the high intensity nature of the power cardio routine, you will see an increase in excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). What this means is that your metabolism will stay elevated for many hours after you are finished the exercise, allowing you to burn more calories just by sitting on the couch. This principle is fundamental to what strength and conditioning coaches teach their clients. Research on Harvard’s strength training evidence explains the metabolic advantages of high-intensity exercise.
Research Findings:
Another study had individuals perform either an endurance training (ET) or Power Cardio (interval training) routine for a period of 15 weeks. The power cardio group experienced 9 times as much fat loss as those performing the endurance training program. Studies from La Trobe University’s sport exercise research confirm these superior fat loss outcomes.
Dual Benefits: Aerobic and Anaerobic
Numerous studies have shown that power cardio increases both one’s aerobic and anaerobic workout capacity while endurance training just improves the former. It has also been shown that power cardio actually increases aerobic capacity to a better degree than traditional low intensity aerobics. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, this dual benefit makes interval training superior for overall fitness. Research on anaerobic energy systems demonstrates how HIIT improves both power and endurance simultaneously.
The above study also showed a 14 percent increase in aerobic fitness and a 28 percent increase in anaerobic capacity in only 14 weeks when following a high intensity workout program.
Holiday Interval Training Advantages
Time Efficiency
With interval training your workout sessions are much shorter and you can add a lot more variety into your program. High intensity interval training is just like it sounds; you alternate intense exercise with active rest. But interval training has an even greater advantage during the holiday season. One is obviously the time advantage. Most of us are extremely busy and our time is even more valuable during the holiday season so shorter workouts are a great way to make sure we are still training.
No Gym Required
Even better, though is that we can eliminate trips to the gym. In fact, even if we have a home gym but can’t get to it because we’re traveling, that’s not a problem with interval training. Why? Because we can create endless interval training programs with bodyweight only exercises and get in a killer workout session. This is perfect for those who prefer mobile personal trainer services or need flexibility in their training location. Research on exercise oncology shows these exercises can be as effective as gym-based workouts.
Bodyweight vs. Machine Training
Personally, I think you can get in a more intense interval session with bodyweight exercises over machines like the treadmill, elliptical machine or stationary bike. It can be tough to do intervals on some machines because it takes so much time to change the intensity of the workouts as you incline or decline the treadmill or alter the speed you’re going at. Studies on functional movement patterns support the effectiveness of bodyweight exercises for real-world strength development.
Quick Burpee Challenge
Don’t think bodyweight exercises can give you a good interval training workout? Try using the simple exercise of burpees and perform 8 “sets” of all out burpees for 30 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest. Research on Monash University’s nutrition research shows that compound movements like burpees activate multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
Holiday Workout Programs
You can include bodyweight exercises in a program for resistance and interval training during the holidays if you can’t make the gym. Even better, to really give your metabolism a boost, I recommend trying to get in multiple, short but intense interval training sessions during the day. Not every day of course, but two to four times per week. This approach works well with personal fitness trainers who design flexible programs.
Understanding Workout Formats
Training Definitions:
Intervals: Exercises may be performed in intervals of intense action followed by a period of rest. In these cases the active period will be listed followed by the rest period. Example – Push Ups: 8 sets of 20/10 second intervals. Where you would perform push ups for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds and repeat this 8 times.
Circuit: Several exercises performed in sequence, and repeated for the set number of rounds. Research on AIS training periodization shows how structured programs optimize results.
Beginner Holiday Workouts
Warm-Up Routine
You’re not going intense here, just getting the body warm. Proper warm-up protocols, as outlined in Sports Medicine Australia research, are essential for injury prevention.
- Light bodyweight movements
- Joint mobility exercises
- Gradual heart rate elevation
Basic Burpee Circuit
If you need to, you can eliminate the push up and/or the jump portion of the burpees to make it less intense.
Format: Circuit: 8 rounds + 30 seconds rest
Intermediate Programs
Mixed Movement Circuit
Format: Circuit: 2-3 rounds + 15 seconds rest
Combine different bodyweight exercises for variety and challenge. Studies on motor learning show that exercise variety improves skill acquisition and prevents adaptation plateaus.
Advanced Holiday Training
With interval training sessions like these, you can quickly get in a workout any time you need to during the holiday season, as well as getting in multiple workouts per day. This flexibility is what makes working with a gym personal trainer so valuable – they can adapt programs to your schedule.
Extended Interval Options
You can also switch things up and perform longer intervals as well. Here are some examples:
Advanced Circuit Training
Format: Circuit: 5-8 rounds + 15 seconds rest
- Longer work periods for endurance
- Complex movement patterns
- Higher intensity challenges
Jump Rope Alternative
If you’re up to it, rest 2 minutes and repeat one more time. Don’t have a jump rope? Replace with jumping jacks, running in place, or just do the jump rope motion without a jump rope! Research on Baker Institute cardiovascular training shows that jumping exercises effectively elevate heart rate for interval training.
Equipment-Free Training Benefits
As you can see, these routines allow you to get them in anywhere, anytime because you don’t need any equipment (except possibly the Gym Boss Interval Timer which is awesome!). This approach is perfect for those who work with online personal trainers who can guide workouts remotely.
The holidays are hectic and workouts slide. We just don’t have the time to get to the gym, hit the weights and walk on the treadmill for a total of 90 minutes to 2 hours a pop. But now you don’t have to. You can beat the Christmas bulge with interval training, bodyweight style.
Additional Training Considerations
Nutrition During the Holidays
While interval training is incredibly effective for burning calories and maintaining fitness, combining it with proper nutrition guidance maximizes results. Working with a personal trainer and nutritionist can help you navigate holiday eating while maintaining your goals. Research on University of Melbourne’s exercise medicine demonstrates the importance of proper fueling for exercise performance and recovery.
Recovery and Consistency
The key to holiday fitness success is consistency, not perfection. Even short, intense workouts performed regularly will help you maintain fitness levels and energy throughout the busy season. This principle is fundamental to what female personal trainers and male personal trainers teach their clients about sustainable fitness habits. Studies on Garvan Institute medical research show that adequate rest is essential for training adaptations.
Post-Holiday Planning
Planning your post-holiday fitness strategy is crucial for long-term success. Many people benefit from working with specialists like personal trainers for seniors or running coaches in Melbourne to establish sustainable routines after the holidays. Research from UniSA’s mental health exercise research demonstrates that exercise truly is medicine for long-term health outcomes.
The Science Behind Holiday Weight Gain
Understanding the physiological mechanisms behind holiday weight gain can help you combat it more effectively. Research on insulin resistance shows how high-calorie, high-sugar holiday foods can disrupt metabolic function. Studies from Heart Foundation research indicate that interval training can help maintain insulin sensitivity even during periods of increased caloric intake.
Metabolic Flexibility and HIIT
High-intensity interval training enhances metabolic flexibility – your body’s ability to switch between burning carbohydrates and fats for fuel. This is particularly important during the holidays when food choices are less controlled. Research on glycogen metabolism shows how HIIT can improve your body’s ability to handle carbohydrate intake more efficiently.
Mental Health Benefits of Holiday Exercise
The holiday season can be stressful, and exercise provides crucial mental health benefits. Studies from university mental health and exercise research demonstrate that regular physical activity can reduce holiday stress and improve mood. Working with a boxing personal trainer or engaging in high-intensity workouts can provide an excellent stress outlet.
Research on stress management shows that exercise releases endorphins, which act as natural mood elevators. This is particularly beneficial during the potentially stressful holiday period.
Take Action Today
Don’t just read this article. Try the workouts! The most effective fitness program is the one you actually follow consistently. Whether you’re working with a gym coach in Melbourne or focusing on general fitness, the principles of interval training can be adapted to any fitness level.
Remember, the goal isn’t to be perfect during the holidays – it’s to maintain momentum and energy so you can hit the ground running in the new year. With these interval training strategies, you can beat the Christmas bulge and enter the new year stronger and more confident than ever. Research from Better Health Victoria confirms that regular exercise during stressful periods like holidays provides both physical and mental health benefits.
