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The Question: You've worked very hard over the summer and well into the fall, now the dreaded holiday season of fattening food, candies, and egg nog is upon us. Many of you will succumb to the temptations and regain the winter fat you worked so hard to keep away. What type of workout will keep fat gain to a minimum during the holidays? Please be specific: list types of exercises, sets, reps, etc... How does this training differ from that of the spring and summer training? If a gym and/or training equipment are not available what would be a good substitute? Be specific. Bonus Question: Will you be letting go this holiday season or will you fight through the haze of fattening food, and, are there any additional tips you will employ during this time for fat loss success? Show off your knowledge to the world! The Winners:
2nd place - 50 in store credit. To use your credit, e-mail Will @ will@bodybuilding.com for more info.
The holidays are always something to look forward to, but unlike most people, this year the plan is to keep the gaining of fat to a minimum. This will require a strict diet of fresh baby spinach and protein powder, right? WRONG.
Just like everyone else you want to indulge a bit during this holiday season, which means turkey, stuffing, CRANBERRY SAUCE, and later on in the season egg nog and of course Grandma's special oatmeal cookies. Since the fact that indulging WILL happen, there are three holiday guidelines that we have lined up for you to keep the fat gain to a minimum:
First of all we have a special holiday workout for the hardcore lifter, or dedicated weekend warrior to use in order to prevent too much fat gain: Day 1: Chest & Triceps:
Day 2: Cardio! Choose low to moderate intensity in order to maintain muscle mass while burning off some excess calories (30-60 minutes.) Walking or jogging on a treadmill is what I like to do here. Make sure to have some post workout carbs to refuel for legs tomorrow.
  Click Image To Enlarge. Walking Or Jogging On A Treadmill Is What I Like To Do Here. Day 3: Legs:
Day 4: Shoulders & Abs:
Day 5: Cardio! This cardio is specifically not the day after legs so you have time to begin to recuperate. I do often feel muscle soreness so I would advise swimming laps in a pool if possible. It helps relax the muscles and keeps you off of your feet after "leg day." Day 6: Back & Bicep:
Day 7: Rest Day Thank you very much! (Or Cardio if you're nuts!) Note: The splits are set up in this fashion because I like to separate my back workouts from my leg workouts as well as my chest from my shoulder workouts to ensure proper recovery and make sure I can give 105% at the gym. Key Points To Keep In Mind During The Workouts:
Injury:
Eating only one piece of pie rather than four will help keep those sexy abs showing through!  Click Image To Enlarge.Only One Piece Of Pie.
This holiday season make sure to continue (or start) taking creatine and more importantly whey protein supplements to aid in fast recovery from the workouts. You'll need it because the next workout isn't far away. I also advise people to have a nice casein protein shake just before bed because it's digested slowly due to it's clotting effect in the stomach. This allows the body to have a constant protein source through the night where it might otherwise go into "starvation mode" and catabolize muscle1.
This training differs from spring and summer training in the fact that our priorities are different. In the summer everyone wants to be lean and ripped to the bone to show off those abs as well as some nice vascularity throughout the body. Summer Training: Spring is similar in the sense that it is the preparation for summer. In the fall and winter months there is no such stress to lose your shirt, and therefore it is an excellent time to begin more of a bulking session. A small amount of fat gain is acceptable now, as long as an equal or larger amount of muscle is being added to offset it. Essentially a workout like this will hopefully turn a good portion of those extra holiday calories into muscle rather than fat. Bulking:
Although without a gym or at least a functional home gym it is hard to get a complete full body strength training workout, but there are definitely substitutes. Let's pretend that you have to spend the weekend at your parent's house this Christmas. There would be three strategies I would employ:
This holiday season I plan on beginning a bit of a bulking session, meaning I will not be so worried about the quantity of the calories I'll be consuming, but will more concerned with the quality of these calorie. For instance, whole grains and adequate protein sources will be my choices as opposed to super refined carbohydrates and greasy side dishes. That's not to say there won't be a bit of cheating going on in my diet as I was born with an unnatural love for chocolate...
 Click To Enlarge. Opiewags99. One of the key tips that I would suggest to any readers is that if you can't stop yourself from indulging in the sweet foods, at least keep lifting. This will ensure the addition of muscle and not only fat. Another key tip, although I said it before, is that fat burners can support fat loss with little effort, so keep that in mind. Fat Loss Supplements: Enjoy the holidays! -K (Opiewags99) References:
Note: Exercises were taken directly from Bodybuilding.com's exercise guide database, if descriptions of the exercises or tips are needed, please visit http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm.
The key elements of a workout that will keep fat gain to a minimum are the following:
One of the most effective means of achieving the three goals stated above is to base your workout on supersets. A superset is a set that is actually made up of two sets (hence the term "super"). One moves directly from the first set (labeled "A" below) to the second set (labeled "B" below) with little (15 seconds or less) or no rest in between. Performing supersets is an effective means of minimizing fat gain because the lack of rest in between sets within the superset leads to a rise in body temperature (thermogenesis) and an increase in heart rate. Both of these factors contribute to fat loss. Thus, supersetting allows one to simultaneously build muscle mass and burn fat. One can superset two exercises that target opposing muscle groups (e.g. barbell rows for back and bench press for chest) or the same muscle group (barbell curls and concentration curls for biceps). Additionally, supersets can be broken down into isolation supersets and compound supersets. An example of a compound superset would be Squats and Bench Press. An example of an isolation superset would be alternate dumbbell curls and preacher curls.
The below program is based primarily on supersetting opposing body parts, and emphasizes compound movements over isolation movements. Compound movements recruit a larger number of muscles groups than isolation movements and put more strain on the body as well as the nervous system.
They not only help increase heart rate and body temperature, but also elevate Growth Hormone levels, which has been shown to aid in fat loss 2,3,4.
Furthermore, studies have shown that increased lactic acid build up, which begins accumulating after 6 heavy repetitions is a key factor in triggering the release of Growth Hormone throughout the body 1. Elevated levels of Growth Hormone, in turn, have been shown to increase fat loss. Thus, keeping a high repetition range not only helps you burn calories during exercise, but also elevates GH levels, which can promote fat loss even after the workout is over.
Here is a workout that is based on supersetting that I recommend for keeping the fat off during the holidays: Perform Exercise A. Proceed immediately to Exercise B. Rest for 45 seconds to one minute. Repeat until you have performed 4 sets of each exercise. The rep scheme for each exercise in the superset is 12, 12, 10, 10. Rest 60 to 90 seconds before moving on to the next superset. 4 Day Split. Workout every other day to allow for proper recovery. Note: The use of Giant sets. Monday - Chest & Back:
Rest 60 to 90 seconds
Rest 60 to 90 seconds
Rest 60 to 90 seconds
Wednesday - Shoulders & Traps:
Rest 60 to 90 seconds
Rest 60 to 90 seconds
Rest 60 to 90 seconds
Friday - Legs:
Rest 60 to 90 seconds
Rest 60 to 90 seconds
Rest 60 to 90 seconds
Sunday - Arms: Superset 1 Rest 60 to 90 seconds Superset 2 Rest 60 to 90 seconds Superset 3 Rest 60 to 90 seconds
Giant Set In the above 4 day split, a rest day should be taken between each workout. Thus, the above workout would start again on Tuesday with Chest and Back. The workout can also be adjusted to fit your needs- it can be condensed to 3 days or even expanded to 5 days. On rest days, depending on how much extra fat you are consuming during the holidays, you could engage in aerobic exercise such as running, swimming or biking if you think it is necessary.
If a bodybuilder is consuming less fatty foods during the spring and summer, he or she may not necessarily be too concerned about burning fat while lifting. Therefore, the workout need not be built around supersets with high reps, little rest between sets, and compound exercises. Cardio can instead be performed independently of lifting (pre-workout, post-workout, or on rest days). Because supersets are not only anaerobic but also aerobic, a bodybuilder will not be able to lift as heavy as if he or she were getting a full minute to minute and a half between of rest in between each and every set. Thus, it is probably more useful to employ a more conventional workout style, i.e. one that relies on single sets of 8-12 repetitions with adequate rest in between each set, in order to make the greatest gains in muscle mass. Adequate rest between sets allows lactic acid build up to flow out of the muscle, and for greater force to be exerted on the following set. This is not to say that supersets should never be employed during the spring or summer. I am merely pointing out that supersets should be used more sparingly and not be the core of the workout during these seasons.
If one did not have access to a gym or training equipment, I would suggest that they either attempt to construct simple weights (such as filling gallon jugs or paint cans with cement) or use objects found in nature for resistance. For example, one could do pull ups on a tree branch, bench dips on a chair or any other elevated and flat surface. Pushups and numerous abdominal exercises can also be performed without training equipment or a access to a gym. The principle should be the same as if , high repetitions, minimal rest between sets, and plenty of compound movements. Another option is to engage in various types of cardiovascular exercise to keep fat gain to a minimum. Examples include jogging, running, sprinting, cycling, or swimming. Of these, sprinting and swimming are probably the most efficient options. Not only does sprinting burn calories and strengthen the leg muscles, but it also elevates Growth Hormone levels, which can aid in fat loss. Additionally, a set of six maximal effort sprints, each lasting about 30 seconds, with a light jog or power walk back to the start, will only take fifteen to twenty minutes and burn more calories than a 20 minute jog.
The above sprint workout has been scientifically proven to dramatically increase Human Growth Hormone production for one and a half to two hours after the workout 5. Likewise, several studies suggest that elevated levels of HGH can contribute to fat loss 2,3,4. Swimming is also an excellent option, as it is a full-body resistance exercise in addition to a great aerobic and fat burning exercise.
I will fight through the haze of fattening foods this holiday season. That does not mean I need to miss out on the holiday dinners though. For example, Thanksgiving dinner typically includes many nutritious foods such as turkey breast, yams and/or baked potatoes, and plenty of vegetables. The key is portion control. I will make sure that I don't eat a huge meal at each holiday celebration and instead try and stick to my usual 4-6 meals a day. Instead of eating too much at one sitting, I will take home left-overs for later that night or the following day. I'll also make sure that I stay hydrated, especially so I feel full quicker and don't pig out at big holiday dinners. Water: I will also make sure not to indulge in any alcoholic beverages. But if for some reason I do decide to have a drink or two, I'll be sure to keep plenty of water handy to remain hydrated. I'll also make sure I take in plenty of slow digesting protein (I prefer casein) prior to drinking, so that my body is continually fighting off the catabolic effects of the alcohol.
References:
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