20-Minutes-a-Day Guide to Staying in Shape This Year

Your correspondent packed on six pounds during a two-week stint in South Africa over the holidays. Good place to eat and drink wine, if you were wondering. As soon as he got home, he shed four of those pounds in three days … without working out for more than 20 minutes each day.

His secret? TMAC Fitness’s ingenious HIIT (High-intensity Interval Training) workouts, a big trend in the staying-fit world because they combine short bursts of anaerobic exercises with brief rest periods over a 4-30 minutes period. The result: better conditioning, a faster metabolism, less stress on your joints and more time to do other things. Like relax (or in the case of the editor in question, catch up on emails).

These simple ass-kickers can be done in your home, a hotel room or the gym. And they’ll stop you from having to shell out a private-school-education money for a trainer. TMAC Founder and trainer Todd McCullough says you can use them for your daily workout or as a complement to your regular weight training.

Here’s the plan.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday
HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) Workouts

TMAC 20 Fast Total Body Workout | Animal23:51

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Cardio

TMAC 20 Minute Cardio/Flush Workout | The Foodie27:56

Daily
Post-Workout Stretches

TMAC Post Workout Stretch14:18

Sunday
Rest. Watch football. Drink beer.

And here are six more tips from Todd to ensure you stay on the ball throughout the week:

Move Around First Thing in the Morning
“I like to get my blood pumping first thing. If you are one of those evening workout guys, then go for a walk when you wake up or do a TMAC 20-minute workout.”

Cold Therapy
“As soon as I wake, I hang my head under the shower with the water on cold. It shocks the system. I also take a cold shower post workout.”

Ready Your Gear
“If you like to run, put your running shoes next to your bed. Believe me, it makes a difference. For the days you plan to train after work, bring your gear with you. If you drive home first, the likelihood of you working out goes down drastically. Better yet, keep a bag with your workout gear and a pair of workout shoes in your car so you’ll always be prepared.”

Plan Ahead
“While a spur of the moment workout can be great, planning ahead is always best. Signing up for a class in advance ensures you’ll go. Look ahead at your week and plan out times you know you can get a workout in.”

Accountability Is King
“Enlist a few workout buddies and schedule workouts with them. You don’t want to take their shit if you don’t show up, so show up and make it count.”

Keep Your Fuel Handy
“When I leave home in the morning, I always pack raw almonds, an apple and a water bottle. Sometimes all you need is a bit of sugar from a piece of fruit, along with some protein and fat from the almonds to set you straight. Be sure to go for natural sugars like fruit and honey. Avoid energy drinks. Not only will they leave you with a crash, but they will likely get your heart rate too high when doing intense training.”