Christmas is over, the new year is coming, and the prospect of shifting all those pies is daunting.
Most people who start ambitious weight-loss routines on January 1 end up packing them in by February, fed up of having to sideline their usual lifestyle for this extreme endeavor.
But research shows, less can often be more when it comes to consistent exercise.
Those who manage to integrate smaller, more manageable fitness regimes for 60 days will likely keep up with it, because it is then a habit, according to Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit.
People who incorporate manageable regular workouts into their routine lose more weight
This theory is backed up by sports science. A study published by the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found that participants had a lower body mass index and decreased waistline after doing a seven-minute workout every morning.
Although this could involve a few lunges and squats, Ollie Reed, a trainer at boxing gym KOBOX, insists a living room workout can be far more ambitious.
Here, he outlines a quick session you can get through before work, that isn’t too exhaustive and targets every muscle group:
1. 10 straight punches + 5 burpees [20 second rest]
2. 10 jumping squats + 4 burpees [20 second rest]
3. 10 push-ups + 3 burpees [20 second rest]
4. 10 jack-knives + 2 burpees [20 second rest]
5. 10 mountain climbers + 1 burpee [20 second rest]
*continue the circuit for the 7 minutes duration
*a ‘burpee’: squat, hands on the floor, kick feet into a plank, do a push up, jump your feet back between your hands, jump up with your hands reaching for the ceiling
‘Your rest periods are optional,’ Reed explains.
‘You can decrease your rest period the stronger and fitter you feel. For example, each week throughout January decrease your rest period by a few seconds.
‘Eventually you will have no or minimal rests, making the workout shorter.’