The count down to Christmas has begun and it’s time to start thinking about getting in shape for your office party, as Metro speaks to a number of experts on how to shift extra weight quickly.
In winter, it’s easy to find yourself snuggling up on the sofa eating comfort food, rather than braving the cold for a gym session. But if you don’t pull in the reins now, you’ll be in trouble long before your new year’s resolutions start. It also means you’ll have difficulty slipping into your party gear for the office Christmas do. And we don’t want that.
Celebrity trainer Ricardo Macedo (www.r-fitness.co.uk) recommends having a good exercise plan in motion to shift extra weight quickly. ‘Plyometrics (the contraction of muscles executed in a big, explosive movement) are a great way to burn pounds and build good muscle tone,’ he says. ‘Kangaroo jumps, burpees and press-up jumps are a good choice of plyometric exercises as they engage many muscle groups in one single exercise.
‘The more muscles involved, the more calories you burn. This is a great way to compact a whole body workout into a short amount of time.’
He adds: ‘You should aim for five sets of 30 reps with a 40-second break between each set. If you do this set every other day, you’ll soon notice the weight loss.
‘On the alternate days, try interval training to boost your metabolism. It will also reduce the time spent in the gym and maximise your calorie burn in a shorter period of time.
‘After you warm-up, sprint for one minute at full power, then run at a low speed for two or three minutes to allow your heart rate to recover. Repeat this procedure for 30 minutes. As you get fitter, you can reduce your recovery time and increase your sprinting time.’
