The 10 moves to get in shape BEFORE Christmas – plus the dos and don’ts of festive feasting
IT’S December and the festive season has officially begun.
With four weeks left of the year, you might be tempted to pack your workout gear away and chuck your trainers into the dark abyss (the back of your wardrobe).
Until January at least!
But, staying fit and active in the build-up to Christmas and the New Year won’t just put you in good stead for 2025, it could also stop you from getting sick during party season.
Sarah Lindsay, a three-time winter Olympian speed skater and owner of Roar Fitness gyms, is here to help.
Sarah, who is PT to the likes of Piers Morgan, Pixie Lott and James Haskell, has put together a quick and easy full body workout you can do, either at the gym or in the comfort of your home.
Get as fit as Pixie for Xmas
THESE exercises will work every muscle in the body, to help you feel stronger, leaner and fitter – while also raising your heart rate.
Split into five rounds of two exercises each, you should do each pair twice with a 45-second rest in between.
Beginners using lighter weights should aim for 15-20 reps but if you’re used to lifting weights, go a little heavier and aim for 10-12 reps.
Sarah tells Sun on Sunday Health: “The more weight you lift, the more intensity you create and more oxygen is required so your heart rate will be elevated along with muscle fatigue.”
PAIR 1
DEADLIFT
HOLD a dumbbell in each hand, arms down in front of you.
Push your hips back and lower dumbbells towards the ground.
Once your dumbbells have reached just below your knee, bend your knees so the dumbbells move closer to the floor.
Pause, then push through your heels, straighten your knees and come back up to standing.
DUMBELL CHEST PRESS
LIE back on the floor or a bench with feet flat on the ground.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand just above your chest, elbows bent.
Extend dumbbells upwards, straightening your arms.
Pause, then return to the start.
PAIR 2
FRONT FOOT ELEVATED SPLIT SQUAT
PLACE your right foot on a raised platform (such as a low step) and step your left foot back.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms down by your side.
Bend both knees until your back knee touches the floor, pause, then push up through your front heel to come back to standing.
SEATED SHOULDER PRESS
ON a seat or bench, hold a dumbbell in each hand, just above each shoulder.
Your palms should face forward.
Drive the dumbbells up, extending your arms so they are straight.
Then lower the dumbbells back down.
PAIR 3
HIP THRUST
LIE back on a bench or on the floor, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Hold a dumbbell over your hip bone.
Then, drive your hips up so that your thighs and torso create one straight line.
Finally, lower back down to the floor.
SINGLE ARM ROW
STAND with a dumbbell in each hand.
Hinge at the hips so your body is parallel to the floor with a straight back.
Drive the elbows up behind, but close to, the body, up toward the ribcage.
Squeeze the shoulder blades at the top before lowering the dumbbells back to the start.
PAIR 4
SEATED BICEP CURL
SITTING on a bench or seat, hold a dumbbell in each hand and let your arms hang down either side.
Keeping your upper arms close to your body, bend at the elbows and lift your dumbbells up towards your shoulder, then slowly lower them back down to the start.
WEIGHTED LYING TRICEP EXTENSION
LIE back on a bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
Raise arms above shoulders.
Keeping arms close to your ears, bend at the elbows, lowering your dumbbells behind your head.
Use triceps (the muscles that run along the back of your upper arm), to lift your dumbbells back up to the start.
PAIR 5
PLANK
LIE face down on the floor, then push yourself up so you are resting on your forearms and toes.
Keep body in a straight line.
Hold for 30 seconds.
WEIGHTED DEAD BUG
LIE on the ground holding a dumbbell over your chest with both arms straight.
Your legs should be at a 90-degree angle off the floor.
Lower your arms behind you as you straighten your left leg.
Then return to the start and repeat, this time with the right leg.
FOOD TO AVOID
WHEN it comes to food, Sarah says: “A little bit of what you like is fine but just don’t get carried away so that you start 2025 feeling terrible.
“It’s so easy to have a bit of everything, plus a mince pie, plus some chocolate and that final Baileys to tip you into several thousand calories in one sitting.”
One Celebration chocolate contains 47 calories (and who eats just one!?), a slice of Christmas cake contains around 350 calories and a small handful of caramelised nuts contains 148 calories.
When it comes to alcohol, a cup of eggnog racks up 224 calories, 50ml of Baileys packs in 157 calories and a pint of Guinness contains 210 calories. It is easy to see how booze calories can pile up.
FOOD TO ENJOY
AT festive buffets, avoid pastry items, deep-fried foods and creamy dips.
Instead, go for lean cuts of meat, smoked salmon, crudités with salsa and fruit dessert.
Sarah says: “Stick to good eating habits like filling up on veggies and prioritising protein – such as chicken, eggs, tofu and turkey – to keep you full.”
The good news is, your Christmas dinner is actually a “very balanced and healthy meal” as it’s mostly made up of lean meat, veggies and potatoes, Sarah says.
“There’s always plenty of leftover turkey and broccoli to get stuck into instead of those mince pies and the selection box,” Sarah adds.