Staying fit over Christmas using science-backed methods

The festive season has a reputation for undoing good habits such as eating well and exercising. Normal routines disappear, days become less structured and exercise habits can fade. The solution to staying active is not more willpower, but smarter planning. Research shows that simple, practical strategies can help people stay active through Christmas and into the new year.

At this time of year, articles often focus on the calorie content of festive foods and drinks, alongside advice on how to “burn off” festive indulgence. However, guilt-based motivation is ineffective in the long term.

You are more likely to stick with exercise when it feels rewarding rather than forced. This is known as intrinsic motivation, which comes from enjoying the activity itself, rather than exercising due to pressure, guilt or external rewards. Behaviour change research shows that physical activity habits are more likely to last when they are easy to start and driven by intrinsic motivation.

For example, someone is more likely to maintain a running habit because it improves their mood or helps them decompress, rather than because they are trying to burn a specific number of calories.

To support intrinsic motivation, it helps to choose activities you enjoy or are curious about and avoid rigid rules. Exercises should match your current ability and offer a sense of progress, such as improvements in strength, technique or stamina. Clear, achievable progress increases enjoyment and commitment. Training with others, joining group classes or sharing progress can also help sustain motivation.

Most people do not stop exercising over Christmas because they lose motivation. Instead, their routines change. Late nights, travel, disrupted schedules, limited gym access or exercising in unfamiliar places create practical barriers. In many cases, exercise habits fade because of logistics, not a lack of desire.

In behavioural science, anything that makes a behaviour harder to start than it needs to be is described as friction. Even small obstacles can increase the effort, time or mental energy required to begin, making people more likely to delay or abandon the behaviour.

Friction is often subtle. Forgetting login details for a fitness app, not knowing what workout to do, or wondering whether there is enough time for a session to be “worth it” can be enough to derail exercise plans. Each small obstacle adds hesitation and increases the chance of giving up.

Reducing friction makes it far easier to maintain fitness over Christmas. This can be done by preparing in advance, simplifying choices and making the first step as easy as possible.

Prepare and plan ahead

Preparing ahead of time reduces delays and procrastination. Keep a gym bag packed or lay out workout clothes the night before. If you train with music or podcasts, have them ready. Create a default route for outdoor activities such as running or cycling so you don’t have to decide where to go.

When routines change, the type of exercise often needs to change too. Many people turn to social media or YouTube for ideas, but the sheer number of options can lead to decision fatigue, where repeated choices drain mental energy and make it more likely that exercise is postponed altogether.

To avoid this, bookmark a small number of go-to workouts on your phone and label them by duration and location. For example:

15 minutes | Bodyweight cardio | Home - Star jumps x 20 Mountain climbers x 20 Step-ups x 20 High skips x 20 Rest 1 minute Repeat for five rounds

Choose workouts for the week in advance where possible. Use a fixed rotation of three or four sessions, such as full-body strength, a 30-minute run, then full-body strength again. Limiting options reduces decision fatigue and makes starting easier.

Simplify

When time is limited or the gym is busy, effective workouts can still be completed in under 30 minutes using time-efficient training methods.

1. Circuits

In the gym, instead of resting between sets on one machine, move between exercises that target different muscle groups. For example, rotate between chest press, seated row, leg press, shoulder press, lat pulldown and a core exercise. If equipment is unavailable, substitute with a similar movement using dumbbells or bodyweight.

2. Supersets

Pair exercises that work different muscle groups and perform them back to back, such as a dumbbell chest press followed by a chest-supported row.

3. Drop sets

After completing a set, reduce the weight by 20% to 30% and continue until fatigue. Repeat for two to four drops.

4. Myo reps

Choose a weight you can lift for 12 to 15 repetitions. After the first set, rest briefly, then perform mini sets of three to five repetitions, rest for 20 seconds. Keep going until until you can’t complete 3 reps.

Drop sets and myo reps are effective for muscle growth. For maximum strength goals, traditional or cluster sets are more appropriate.

Metabolic conditioning

Metabolic conditioning involves short bursts of high-intensity exercise that challenge both muscles and the cardiovascular system. It is particularly useful when time is limited.

1. Circuit training

Plan a circuit of several exercises. Perform each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds then move to the next exercise. Rest for one to two minutes after completing all the exercises and repeat for multiple rounds.

2. Every minute on the minute circuits

At the start of each minute, complete a set number of repetitions and rest for the remainder of the minute before starting the next exercise.

3. Tabata intervals

Alternate 20 seconds of intense exercise with ten seconds of rest. Perform a total of eight intervals before resting for two to three minutes. Repeat this for two to three minutes series.

4. As many reps as possible

Select four or five exercises with target reps for each exercise. Set a timer for 12 to 20 minutes and cycle through the exercises continuously, aiming to complete as many rounds as possible.

Even during the disruption of the festive season, it is possible to stay active. Skipping exercise entirely until January risks losing fitness and breaking momentum. Evidence-based strategies that reduce friction and make exercise easy to start are far more effective than relying on willpower. By keeping workouts simple and accessible, you can maintain fitness through Christmas without having to start again in the new year.

Paul Hough does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.