Christmas can be demanding as well as fun, so why not get in shape for it with a fitness blitz

Enjoyable though it may be, at Christmas we put our bodies through a lot of physical and mental stress. We eat too much, drink too much, shell out money we don't have and spend time with family members who drive us crazy.

You still have plenty of time to get yourself in shape for all this. Follow this pre-Christmas routine 3 times a week to boost your metabolic rate, and complement it with at least 2 aerobic sessions such as swimming, walking or cycling. We promise you’ll feel fit and ready for anything.

1. Warm up and stretch

To warm up skip, jog or do jacks for five minutes. When you do your stretches do not bounce.

Calf stretch
Stand facing a wall with your right foot close to the wall and your right knee bent. Place your hands flat against the wall at shoulder height. Now stretch your left leg out behind you as far as it will go, without lifting your heel off the floor, and lean towards the wall. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds and relax. Switch legs.

Quad stretch (front of thigh)
Stand with your right hand pressed against the back of a chair or wall. Bend your left knee and bring your left heel up to your bottom, grasping your foot with your left hand. Your back should be straight, and your shoulders, hips and knees should all be in line. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Switch legs.

Hamstring stretch (back of thigh)
Stand up straight and place your right foot on a table, bench or chair, so that your leg is almost parallel to the floor. Slowly move your hands down your right leg towards your ankle until you feel tension on the underside of your thigh. Try to lean forward from the hips, keeping your back straight from the tailbone to the top of your head. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Switch legs.

Triceps stretch
Stand with your feet slightly apart and your knees soft. Bring your right arm up and over your head, so that you pretend to pat yourself on the back. With the arm in this position, use your left hand to gently press the right elbow back slightly. Repeat on the other side. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.

Biceps stretch
Hold your right arm straight out to the side and place your palm flat against a wall. Now turn your body away from the wall (45 degrees) so you are looking over your left shoulder. Next rotate your right shoulder forward without moving your hand. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Switch sides.

Shoulder stretch
Stand with your feet slightly apart and your knees soft. Hold your arms out in front of you, so that your palms are facing away from you. Now place your right palm on top of the back of your left hand, and use it to push the left hand further away from you.

2. Cardiovascular work (15 to 20 minutes)

Choose from a brisk walk, cycling, skipping or a short aerobics video.

3. Strength work (use water bottles if you don’t have weights)

Rear leg raises (works the bottom)
Kneel on the floor on all fours, with your hand beneath your shoulders and knees beneath your hips. Straighten your right leg out behind you, with your toes still touching the floor. Inhale and, as you exhale, raise your leg until it is parallel with the floor. Squeeze your bottom then lower. Repeat 10 to 15 times. Switch sides.

Lunges (works the thighs and bottom)
Stand with your back straight and feet together. Inhale as you take a large step forward, landing with the heel first. Bend the front knee no more than 90 degrees. Keep your back straight and lower the back knee as close to the floor as possible. Your front knee should be lined up over your ankle and your back thigh with your back. Exhale and push down against your front heel, squeezing your buttocks tight as you rise back to a standing position. Repeat 10 to 15 times. Switch sides.

Chest press (works the chest)
Lie down on a bench with your feet resting comfortably on the floor. If you don't have a bench, you can use a step or just lie down on the floor. Holding weights, extend your arms overhead, a shoulder-width apart and palms facing out, so that the weights are positioned directly above your face and over your shoulders. Gradually lower the weights out to the side until they’re slightly above your shoulders. Your elbows should be bent at about 90 degrees, so they almost touch the floor. Push the dumbbells up with an arcing motion until they're back in the starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

Forward raises (works the shoulders)
Stand with your feet a shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Clench your abs and bottom. Hold weights in each hand, resting on the front of your thigh with your thumb facing upwards. Inhale and, as you exhale, raise one arm in front of you to shoulder height to the count of two. Hold it there for one second, and then inhale as you slowly lower back down. Repeat using alternate arms, and continue until you can’t do any more. Concentrate on raising the elbows, not the shoulders. Keep your shoulders down all the time and your neck ‘long’.

Bicep curl (works the arms)
Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, arms by your side, elbows tucked in, palms facing out and feet a shoulder-width apart. Keeping your elbows stable, raise the dumbbells towards your shoulders and release them slowly back down. Keep the move slow and controlled, and concentrate on your bicep muscle. Repeat 10 to 20 times.

Triceps dips (works the back of your upper arms)
Sit on the edge of a bench or chair, with your hands on the edge of the bench. Your fingers should be facing forward. Lift your bottom off the bench, and lower yourself towards the floor by bending your arms. The closer your legs are to the bench or chair the easier this exercise will be. If you stretch them farther out in front of you, the exercise will become harder. Do not to lower your arms past your shoulders (90 degrees), and keep your back at a right angle to the floor. Lift yourself back up by straightening your arms. If you haven’t got a suitable bench or step or you find this exercise too hard, you can do it on the floor. Sit with you hands behind you and your fingers facing your bottom. Bend your arms so that you lean backwards, and then push yourself back up. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

The hover (also known as ‘the plank’, this works the tummy)
Lying face down, rest on your forearms and lift your body off the floor so that you are only balancing on your forearms and tiptoes. If this is too difficult, rest your knees on the floor too. Keep your body straight, so that your head, neck, back, bottom and hips are in a straight line. Suck in your tummy muscles and hold for as long as possible. Aim to hold this for one minute. Once you can do that, increase by five seconds each time.

Reverse curl (works the tummy)
Lie on your back, with your arms by your sides. Raise your legs in the air and cross your ankles. Keep your head on the floor and inhale. As you exhale, raise your hips slightly off floor and, using your abdominal muscles, curl your knees to you chest. Hold for a second. Inhale as you slowly lower. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

4. Cool-down

Repeat the stretches you did at the beginning of this workout, holding them for slightly longer.

Finally, remember that over the holiday period your normal schedule will be thrown out. Visiting relatives and excited children will all bring a certain amount of stress and chaos. Don’t panic, if you happen to gain a pound or two – you can lose it next month. So get mentally prepared to go with the flow, armed with the knowledge that life will go back to normal in the New Year.