Coming upon the holiday season, many people inquire about how to exercise to maximize caloric output and justify a few extra treats at holiday gatherings. Let’s start off with some basics. Each pound of body fat is equivalent to 3500 calories. To maintain your current weight, your daily caloric expenditure (through basal metabolic rate, or BMR, the thermic effect of food, and daily activity) must equal your daily caloric intake from food. I recommend eating to your appetite and making smart food and exercise choices to feel best.
If you are a regular exerciser already, the biggest ‘bang for your buck’ to keep your metabolism high during the holidays is to engage in cardiovascular interval training (where you increase the intensity for short bursts, 1-2 minutes, and then recover by dropping the intensity to a more moderate pace to allow your heart rate to return to normal) and full-body strength training exercises (at an intensity where you can complete between 8-12 repetitions before fatigue sets in).
Cardiovascular exercise should be performed at least 5 days per week, for a minimum of 30 minutes. For weight loss, this may be increased to 45 minutes. Strength training should be performed 2-3 days per week, making sure to leave a day in between sessions for recovery processes. Strength training keeps metabolism elevated for longer periods of time than other forms of activity. Increasing your activity level, or working a bit harder at the gym, can on occasion justify the extra dietary indulgence. With whatever activity you choose to perform, always be sure to stretch well afterwards to facilitate proper recovery and posture!
