The holidays are an especially hard time to keep fit and stay healthy, mainly due to the temptation to simply relax, and eat whatever and whenever we wish. That said, the following home workout tips should help you stay on track of your fitness regimen during the holiday period:
Exercises
Wall press-ups
Wall press-ups are a great way to burn off those extra calories and strengthen your forearms. On how they are done, simply stand about 65cm away from a wall and keep your feet hip-width apart, and while facing it, prop yourself against it, with your palms and fingers pointing upwards. You should then lean towards the wall with your back straight; elbows bent, and when pushing back, make sure they straighten out. Repeating this 8 to 12 times a day should give you good results.
Jogging
Jogging has many benefits, some of which include helping to build strong bones, strengthen muscles, and maintaining a healthy weight, among others. If you are a beginner, always start slow by jogging for about 15 minutes at a time and then gradually extend to 45 minute running sessions. However, if you live a sedentary life and are over thirty, you should first check in with your doctor before beginning and if given a go ahead, begin by taking long walks for a few days without overexerting yourself so as to start off with a good base and then proceed to gradually increase the distance and time spent when jogging.
Other exercises
Apart from the aforementioned, there are numerous other exercises that can help you stay fit during the holidays, including the common ones such as pushups, if you want to target upper-body muscles, perform lunges to help make the hips more flexible as well as strengthen the legs, and do squats to tone your thighs and backside.
The Ideal Kinds of Food when Regularly Working Out
Carbohydrates
A healthy diet is an important aspect of staying fit while on holiday, and carbohydrates help you stay on the regimen as they provide the energy needed for fitness exercises. That said, eating a diet that consists of about seventy percent carbohydrates is ideal so as to stay energized and in peak condition throughout the day, with the best sources being cereals, breads, fruits, and pasta. However, you should remember to avoid eating sugary or starchy foods before starting an activity as they can speed up dehydration.
Proteins
Proteins are an important part of the diet, especially if you work out regularly as they help maintain muscles. Going a bit into the details, the average person needs about 1.3 grams of protein per kilogram of their body-weight, which is about 88 grams for a person weighing 68 kilograms, but for an athlete engaging in strenuous training or physical activities, the protein needs are usually about thirty percent higher.
Some of the best natural sources of protein are milk, beans, fish, poultry and nuts. However, if you feel that you are not getting enough, sports nutrition supplements packed with proteins are always a good option to help compensate for higher nutritional requirements. Active people on a protein diet must be reminded that taking added dietary supplements work best paired with a healthy, well-rounded meal plan as well as maintaining a regular resistance exercise routine.
Drink plenty of fluids
Intense exercise, especially under hot weather can easily lead to dehydration, consequently hurting your performance, and so taking fluids regularly before exercising is highly recommended. However, don’t wait until you are thirsty as you will have already lost significant amounts of fluids before the feeling starts kicking in.
