Working out and eating right over the Christmas period is impossible – spending time with family & friends, for me, is much more important than training & strict eating. I encourage all people to indulge a little over the holidays, in particular, on Christmas Day. I can guarantee when I arrive in Melbourne my mum will have her fridge stocked with enough desserts for 5 families – thanks mum! Turkey stuffing, gravy, multiple desserts & sweets, and good wine are all part of my families Christmas traditions.
However when I’m back in Melbourne I do like to hit the old stomping grounds and workout with friends! In doing so I have developed a simple trick to put those additional Christmas calories and sugar to good use: on Christmas Eve eat minimal carbs (or none at all) and hit the gym for a higher volume workout. By higher volume I mean do more sets, more reps and rest less. I generally like to work multiple muscle groups to make the workout more time efficient. The goal of the workout is to maximally increase insulin sensitivity, making your body more insulin sensitive prior to the Christmas indulging will drive those extra calories into muscle tissue to aid recovery from the days before tough workout.