The two-month guide to getting in shape for 2016

As scary as it sounds, Christmas, and the gluttony that comes with it, is just under two months away. When New Year’s follows the festive season, everybody and their mother will be making resolutions to better themselves, giving up a certain vice or making a commitment to get that dream body. It’s as predictable as turkey on the table come December 25th, but that doesn’t make it any less commendable or achievable. Here’s how you get fitter and healthier in just 8 weeks, setting you on the path for a great year ahead.

You don’t have to put a number on it but really nail down what you want to achieve before you begin. If that’s to pack on muscle, then your regime will be very different to if you’re aiming to slim down for visible abdominals – a clear target will ensure you’re not wasting time or going about things wrong.

Taking measurements before you start will also be very helpful, as frightening as it may be. Retake them every two weeks and you’ll be able to gauge how the progress is going in terms of transformation.

Obviously this will alter slightly depending on those goals you’ve set.

For Building Muscle

High rep counts with a pull/push day split. So a typical basic workout could look like:

Push: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps – Bench Press, Squat, Dips, Military Press

Pull: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps Deadlift, Pull Up/Lat Pull Down, Landmine 180s, Bent Over Rows

Rep count is more important than weight to stimulate hypertrophy, although it should still be very challenging.

For Burning Fat

High intensity exercise in short bursts is ideal for stimulating fat loss, whether that’s through cardio or weightlifting – the latter is preferable as you will burn more calories in the recovery process.

For weightlifting opt for compound exercises (squat, deadlift, military press, etc.) to use more muscles in one go and reduce the rep count to about 6 but increase the sets to 4 or 5 with as much weight as you can handle.

In terms of cardio, weave in high intensity bursts to your running or cycling sessions, mixing it up with hill sprints and the like between rest periods.

Consider working out as fasted as possible also – this way your body will be forced to pull from reserves for energy rather than newly digested food. If this makes you feel unwell, stop immediately, the short term gains are very minor.

This will be the most important aspect of your 8-week regime. Give up sugars, additives, soft drinks, smoking and alcohol for two months and you’ll immediately feel better for it. Also start consuming water for hydration and reduce the caffeine intake drastically.

Your diet will take one of two directions depending on goals.

For muscle and strength, a calorific deficit is essential. This means eating more calories than your body needs – you can find a calculator for this here.

Ensure your protein is high and complex carbs are preferred to simple carbs to reduce fat gain in the process. Wholegrain foods are a great source of complex carbs, as are sweet potatoes.

For fat burning, it’s the opposite. You have to be eating less calories then you need each day. That means cutting out unessential carbohydrates and fats. Maintaining some fats is great for filling you up but they need to be reduced as they carry 9 calories per gram. A high-ish protein intake will also help to avoid drastic muscle loss during the process – prioritise this over carbohydrates and load up on low calorie vegetables.

Getting in shape fast is difficult and arduous. There will be mornings when staying in bed is just too inviting of a prospect or a drink after work too tempting. Having a modicum of accountability and somebody to help and point you in the right direction – nutrition and exercise wise – will be of immeasurable help in achieving goals. Also knowing that you’re paying for the privilege may also serve as additional motivation to stick with it.