Diet & Fitness 

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Time for a quickie?

Time's short and you need your exercise fix. These three 20-minute holiday workouts will give you a buzz in no time at all

Whether you're planning to escape to sunnier climes, stay at home or visit relatives in your time off, you'll need a workout routine that's fast, effective and portable.

I've drawn up three 20-minute workouts to suit everyone, whatever exercise mood you're in. Each one is designed to maximise time and efficiency.

Start each workout with a five-minute warm up – jog on the spot, cycle, step up and down on a stair, skip or do star jumps. Be careful not to overdo it especially if you've been sitting in your office or car for a long time before you exercise. Follow the warm up by stretching your calves, quads and hamstrings.

The cardiovascular workout
Whether you use a stationary bike, walk, jog or skip you can achieve fantastic results in just 20 minutes by using interval training while you work out. Alternate every two minutes from moderate effort to two minutes of harder effort (depending on your fitness level). Work at your own pace. If you aren't very fit at the moment and are using a stationary bike, alternate between low resistance and no resistance. If you push your body too hard too quickly, you will be in danger of over-training, which can lead to soreness and injury. Whatever activity you choose in your cardio workout, try not to repeat it again for 48 hours to ensure maximum recuperation and progression. Complete the cool down and stretch above.

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