Don’t Be Mistaken for Santa This Holiday Season – Try This Workout!

It’s the holiday season, and while we are all full of joy and are merry, not everyone is carefree and looking to be mistaken for good old St. Nicholas. Who? You know… Father Christmas… Santa Claus… The Big Guy! While the holiday season is a busy one where we are running around from holiday parties to shopping for gifts and everything in-between, it can be challenging to fit in time for a workout. No worries! I got you covered with an at-home workout you can do whenever you want to help prevent you from packing on the pounds this season. Heck, I’ve already sent a letter up to the North Pole for Santa himself to start implementing to get himself ready and in shape. 

*As with any exercise program, you should always consult with your doctor before starting something new to ensure you are healthy enough to do so. 

There’s No “Claus” in This 5-Minute Workout 

For this 5-minute workout (one complete circuit), all you need is enough room to complete each exercise safely – no red suit required. Now, while this workout isn’t strictly JUST a cardio workout or JUST a resistance training workout, it’s a good combo of both to keep your heart rate elevated, blood pumping, and breathing heavy. You will certainly burn calories when you implement this workout into your routine. Make sure you have water on hand to maintain proper hydration levels, and if at any point you do not feel good, discontinue the workout immediately. 

Now, don’t do this workout every day. Leave at least 24-hours between workouts to allow your body the ability to properly recover and recuperate before hitting it hard again. 

To get yourself ready for the workout, start with a 5-minute warm-up where you simply walk around the house or up and down the steps. Once you are warmed up, complete the workout listed below. 

The workout below is considered a circuit. This is where you start at the top and work your way down until you reach the final exercise. From there, based on your fitness level, you can either end the workout or do another 1-4 sets. In totality, your workouts could be anywhere from 5-20 minutes. Each exercise is to be done for 30 seconds. The harder you push yourself, the more benefit you will get from the workout as well as added calories burned. If you need a slight break between exercises, take one, but your main objective is to move through the circuit with as few breaks as possible. At the end of each workout, drink some water if you didn’t during the circuit itself. Without further ado, let’s get into the workout!

 

Exercise	Time	Sets
Bodyweight Squats	30 seconds	1-4
Abdominal Crunches	30 seconds	1-4
Lunges	30 seconds	1-4
Planks	30 seconds	1-4
Push-Ups	30 seconds	1-4
Jumping Jacks	30 seconds	1-4
Superman’s	30 seconds	1-4
Jog in Place	30 seconds	1-4
Chair Dips	30 seconds	1-4
Burpees	30 seconds	1-4

 

If you finish your workout (1-4 complete sets of the circuit) and you’re pumped up to do more, add in additional cardio. This can be done in your home or outside, assuming the weather is cooperative. 

If you wished to do cardio inside, you could do things such as:

•  Walk around the house
• Walk up and down the steps
• Jump rope (or go through the motions without the rope)
• Walk or jog in place 

Depending on the weather, you could go outside and do the following: 

• Ride a bicycle
• Go for a walk around the block
• Go for a jog or run
• Go for a hike
• Walk the dog
• Do a form of HIIT cardio
• Shovel snow 

Unwrap Your Gift 

As you can see, you don’t need a gym membership to get started or even get in an excellent fat-burning workout. You can simply complete this workout and those that are similar right at home, whenever you want.